Impiryo t1_iqywgoc wrote on October 4, 2022 at 2:42 AM

Reply to comment by ciroluiro in After DART: Using the first full-scale test of a kinetic impactor to inform a future planetary defense mission by EricFromOuterSpace

There was a huge amount of ejected mass from the collision - that is likely the majority of the momentum change, and what we are measuring.

Plastic vs elastic collisions fail when explodey stuff happens.

ciroluiro t1_iqz3jul wrote on October 4, 2022 at 3:42 AM

Unless the ejected mass went somehow forward, I don't see how that would steal momentum from the asteroid. Maybe if the ejected mass went perpendicular in a manner was not even in all directions? Kinda stretching it.

Anyway, explodey stuff would only help, not hurt.