NASA intentionally crashed a spacecraft into a comet to see inside
In short: Most space missions simply fly by, capturing only the surface of distant celestial bodies. Deep Impact changed that by delivering a high-speed collision. By smashing an impactor into Comet Tempel 1, scientists were able to excavate and reveal the hidden interior of a primitive solar system relic.
Launched on January 12, 2005, from Cape Canaveral, Deep Impact was NASA's eighth Discovery program mission. Unlike previous flyby missions like Giotto or Stardust—which only observed surfaces from afar—Deep Impact was designed to probe a comet's internal structure. The spacecraft consisted of two parts: a 601-kilogram (1,325-pound) solar-powered flyby vehicle and an 820-pound (372-kilogram) 'Smart Impactor.'
The comet Tempel 1 was hit by the impactor during July 4, 2005, while moving at roughly 23,000 miles per hour relative speed. The collision generated an explosion equivalent to 4.7 tons of TNT and created a crater approximately 490 feet in diameter. This 'mission of opportunity' allowed scientists to determine that the comet was roughly 75% empty space and discovered that hyperactive comets are driven by carbon dioxide.
The mission didn't end with the impact. Because the flyby vehicle had remaining propellant, it was extended into the EPOXI mission in 2007. This phase included a 'mission of opportunity' to study extrasolar planets around eight distant stars and a final trek to Comet Hartley 2 (103P/Hartley). The spacecraft eventually lost communication in August 2013 after nearly nine years in space.
The data gathered from these encounters provided critical clues about cometary origins, suggesting Tempel 1 likely originated in the Oort Cloud. By comparing the interior makeup revealed by the impact to the exterior surface, astronomers gained a deeper understanding of how comets form and evolve.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Deep Impact (EPOXI) - NASA Science
- Also: Deep Impact (spacecraft)
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