E = 1/2 mv^2

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E = 1/2 mv^2

ER — 9/30/2022 2:19:17 AM (archived)

m is the mass in kg, probably several hundred. v is in m/s. I read the spacecraft was traveling 14000 MPH, but I don't know if that speed was relative to earth, sun, or the asteroid.

Assuming a mass of 100 kg, and a velocity relative to the target of 14k MPH, it comes out to about 2 billion Joules. Or the energy equivalent of roughly 1 ton of TNT.

The whole thread (13 posts)

Telescope images of the DART impact - RL - 9/27/2022 11:37:21 PM
- It worked better than expected: - podrock - 10/11/2022 7:52:11 PM
  - Bravo! A tremendously successful experiment! - BuckGalaxy - 10/12/2022 3:55:09 AM
    - The choice of a binary asteroid was brilliant - RL - 10/13/2022 3:13:38 AM
- How much energy did DART transfer? n/t - RobVG - 9/30/2022 12:08:20 AM
  - E = 1/2 mv^2 - ER - 9/30/2022 2:19:17 AM
    - DART weighed in at 1260 lbs - BuckGalaxy - 9/30/2022 7:58:09 AM
      - That's about 600 kg. - ER - 9/30/2022 12:58:52 PM
        
        This reads like it's relative to Dimorphos - BuckGalaxy - 9/30/2022 3:48:33 PM
        
        At that speed, and with 600kg mass... - RL - 9/30/2022 5:36:16 PM
- First LICIACube images - BuckGalaxy - 9/28/2022 1:00:49 AM
- That was a lot more powerful than I expected. - ER - 9/28/2022 12:46:37 AM
  - Probably an indication it was more rumble than solid rock or metal - BuckGalaxy - 9/28/2022 1:02:42 AM

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