Nasa launches spacecraft to kick asteroid off course

Mission a test run should humanity ever need to stop a giant space rock from wiping out life on Earth

WASHINGTON • A Nasa mission to smash a spacecraft into an asteroid – a test run should humanity ever need to stop a giant space rock from wiping out life on Earth – has blasted off from California.

It may sound like science fiction, but the Dart (double asteroid redirection test) is a real proof-of-concept experiment, the goal of which is to slightly alter the trajectory of the asteroid Dimorphos.

The SpaceX rocket carrying the mission spacecraft lifted off at 10.21pm Pacific Time on Tuesday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Lompoc, California.

“Asteroid Dimorphos: we’re coming for you!” Nasa tweeted after the launch, later saying the spacecraft had successfully separated from the rocket’s second stage.