Watch: NASA hits asteroid in a test to save Earth someday

You might have seen it in movies like Armageddon, but this one was for real. NASA scientists Monday tested a technology that would one day save Earth should a killer asteroid come hurtling towards us.

NASA spacecraft Dart, the size of a vending machine, slammed into an asteroid at blistering speed at a place 7 million miles away in a bid to try and knock it off course.


No, Dimorphos, a rock the size of a football field, was no threat to life on earth; this was just a test run to see if we would be able to do this in future.

Scientists wanted to the crash to tear out huge chunks of rocks from the asteroid, but more importantly change its present orbit. The reasoning is that we could one day do this to any asteroid that threatens life on Earth.

The 1:25 minute video tweeted out by NASA caught the action from the spacecraft's camera. The video showed the asteroid coming closer and closer, while in a smaller window scientists watched keenly. The asteroid got closer and closer till we could see the rocks on its surface. And then, bam! the signal went out, and the control room erupted in joy.

“We have impact!” Mission Control's Elena Adams announced, jumping up and down and throwing up her arms. The flight controllers cheered, hugged one another and exchanged high fives. It was one of those rare scenarios where scientists celebrated the loss of a spacecraft.


Was the $325 million mission a success? That would depend on whether the asteroid changed course, and that would take two more months to know for sure. But scientists were confident they achieved what they set out for.

“As far as we can tell, our first planetary defense test was a success,” AP quoted Elene Adams as saying. “I think Earthlings should sleep better. Definitely, I will.”