DART just separated from the Falcon 9 second stage!
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I mean 12 minuets is pretty darn fast, I think it was a bit of hyperbole
Small update from DART as it travels through space to it’s target. They just released the first two images taken by it’s main, and only sensor, the DRACO camera. DRACO stands for Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for OpNav. (Didymos being it’s target astroid). This camera is the only scientific instrument onboard, and will be used to target the spacecraft to the Didymos moon for impact. They turned it on in early December, and last week released it’s first images. Both are images of Mesier 38 in the starfish cluster.
This is great to see because this means the instrument is working, and the team can calibrate it to ensure it is in good condition for it’s eventual goal to crash into Didymos.
(I’m also just kind of trying to keep this thread alive till it makes it’s impact next September so I will post occasional updates along the way)
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A secondary fun fact is that the DRACO camera on DART is basically the LORRI camera on New Horizons modified for DART’s mission. New Horizons though had a very different mission, exploring the outer solar system, and becoming the first ever probe to make a close approach of Pluto along with being the first to pass through the kyper belt. It enabled some stunning photos though.
Jupiter as seen on it’s close approach to that planet getting a gravity assist on the way out to Pluto.
It’s best full planet shot of Pluto.
Pluto silhouetted against the dim outer solar system sun
A stunning view of Pluto and it’s moon, Charon
After flying by Pluto New Horizons also looked at some other distant kyper belt objects.
As a point of comparison that was our best image of Pluto before we sent New Horizons there.
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