NASA to ram DART probe into asteroid in redirection test
Yahoo Finance anchors discuss NASA's DART mission.
Video Transcript
INES FERRE: And time now for a quick detour. Our look at the hidden headlines making waves. Set engines for ramming speed, and yes, this is real life, not late '90s sci-fi. NASA will smash a probe into an asteroid to test whether it can alter the trajectory of an asteroid. The test, called DART, will see a probe slam into Dimorphos. That's the name of the asteroid, an asteroid smaller than the Eiffel Tower.
The space agency says Dimorphos is not on a path to hit Earth, nor will the test aim the asteroid at Earth. Two very important points that this asteroid isn't really coming to Earth, and when it gets smashed, it will break into pieces, but not come towards--
AKIKO FUJITA: We were just saying, this sounds like a plot out of a movie, doesn't it?
INES FERRE: It is, but--
AKIKO FUJITA: Scary.
INES FERRE: --you know, NASA has been talking about this and working on this as well of this issue of, if an asteroid were to come towards us, they have a plan to divert it, to something like this, smash into it and not hit Earth, so.
AKIKO FUJITA: It's going to be tested. Let's hope it works.
INES FERRE: It'll be interesting to watch tonight.
