Part 7/11:
Scheduled to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 in July 2021, DART will make its journey at approximately 15,000 miles per hour, traversing the vast distance from Earth over 12 months. As it approaches the asteroid, the spacecraft’s onboard systems will gradually activate, beginning around eight hours before impact. The final hours will see real-time imaging and autonomous navigation through NASA’s innovative "SmartNav" system, designed to lock onto the small moon and guide the impact with precision.