Observations of Didymos: Past Results and Future Plans

International audienceThe binary near-Earth asteroid (65803) Didymos is the target for the two components of the Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment (AIDA) mission. The NASA DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) mission is scheduled to impact the Didymos secondary during its apparition in 2022. ESA's proposed Hera mission will arrive years later to obtain in situ observations of the system following the DART impact. One key scientific goal of AIDA is to measure and characterize the deflection caused by the impact. A combination of spacecraft and ground and space based optical and radar observations in 2022 will provide the required data for AIDA to meet its top-level mission goals