A recent study published in Nature Astronomy reveals groundbreaking findings from NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission. The study confirms that the asteroid Dimorphos, part of the binary system with the larger Didymos, experienced a significant change in shape following the successful impact by the DART spacecraft.

Researchers, including Andy Rivkin from John Hopkins University, utilized advanced shock physics models to determine that Dimorphos may not be a solid rock as previously assumed. Instead, the asteroid is believed to be a rubble pile, similar to other celestial bodies like Ryugu and Bennu.

Dimorphos, measuring 160 meters in width, orbits the 780-meter-wide Didymos and is considered a moon and natural satellite of the larger asteroid. The study suggests that the rubble making up Dimorphos likely originated from Didymos itself through rotational shedding over time, leading to the formation of the rubble pile asteroid.

The success of the DART mission opens new possibilities for planetary defense strategies against potential asteroid impacts. Follow-up observations and future missions, such as the European Space Agency's Hera mission, will provide further insights into the dynamics of binary asteroid systems like Didymos and Dimorphos.

The discovery of Dimorphos' altered shape not only sheds light on the composition of rubble pile asteroids but also offers key information for future space exploration missions and planetary defense mechanisms. The study marks a significant advancement in our understanding of asteroids and their potential impact on Earth.