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AsteriaStar
Pipeline stage · Step 3

Characterization

Determining what an object is — its size, shape, spin, and composition — from light curves, radar, spectra, and, for a few, spacecraft visits. Hera is en route to survey the asteroid DART struck, to learn how a deflection actually worked.

Knowledge connections

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

  • NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration

    Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.

    Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.