First asteroid deflection mission

NASA’S First Asteroid Deflection Mission Enters Next Design Phase

Question:NASA’s first asteroid deflection mission is to be known as
(a) CHAMP
(b) Cloudsat
(c) DART
(d) Glory
Answer- (c)
Related facts:

  • On June 23, 2017, NASA approved to move forward with the first-ever Asteroid Deflection Mission.
  • This mission would be known as DART-the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART).
  • It will demonstrate the kinetic impactor technique in which a non-threatening small asteroid will be struck to shift its orbit.
  • It would be built and managed by scientists at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.
  • The target for DART’s first test would be an asteroid that will have a distant approach to Earth in October 2022, and then again in 2024.

Reference:
https://hub.jhu.edu/2017/07/03/nasa-asteroid-deflection-mission/
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-s-first-asteroid-deflection-mission-enters-next-design-phase
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/nasa-developing-first-asteroid-deflection-mission/1/992377.html