---
title: "NASA Renames Small Moon It Plans to Smash With SpaceX"
description: "In the coming years, NASA plans to crash a SpaceX rocket into a tiny moon as a test run for diverting asteroids. But the moon's name was way too boring."
date: "2020-06-25"
modified: "2020-06-25"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-renames-small-moon-smash"
categories:
  - "Astronomy"
  - "Moon"
  - "Science & Energy"
  - "Space"
  - "SpaceX"
tags:
  - "asteroid"
  - "NASA"
  - "space"
  - "SpaceX"
  - "the digest"
---

# NASA Renames Small Moon It Plans to Smash With SpaceX

![In the coming years, NASA plans to crash a SpaceX rocket into a tiny moon as a test run for diverting asteroids. But the moon's name was way too boring.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/nasa-asteroid-obliterate-better-name.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: ESA\</em\>*

## Nice Gesture

In 2022, NASA plans to [crash a spacecraft](<https://futurism.com/nasa-is-moving-forward-with-its-plan-to-deflect-an-asteroid-from-earth>) directly into a tiny moon, in a mission known as the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) — to try out a potential strategy to divert a killer asteroid heading toward Earth.

The moon, which is only 160 meters across, is orbiting the asteroid Didymos, which flew near Earth back in 2003, *[ExtremeTech](<https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/312067-astronomers-give-asteroid-moon-a-new-name-nasa-spacecraft?source=Extreme>)*[ reports](<https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/312067-astronomers-give-asteroid-moon-a-new-name-nasa-spacecraft?source=Extreme>). Its small size and close proximity to Earth make it the perfect target for an asteroid-diverting mission, but NASA ran into a serious problem: Its name, Didymos B, isn't *nearly* sexy enough for its role in a cool mission.

Thus, the moon Didymos B became Dimorphos.

## DART Board

NASA is collaborating [with both SpaceX](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasas-dart-spacex-incoming-asteroids>) and the European Space Agency (ESA) on this DART mission. In 2021, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch on a crash course with Dimorphos — the plan is to ram the tiny moon so hard that it gets knocked out of its regular orbit around Didymos.

Recently, some other ideas for how to divert a killer asteroid, like [tethering it to another](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/deflect-killer-asteroids-tie-shoelaces-together>) one to send it spiraling off course, have surfaced. But for now, NASA wants to test some good old-fashioned percussive maintenance.

## Follow-Up

After the deed is done, the ESA will launch a [follow-up mission](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/esa-mission-deflect-killer-asteroids>) dubbed Hera to track Dimorphos' new orbit around Didymos, according to *ExtremeTech*.

But that won't happen until 2024, meaning we'll have to wait for years — thinking about the cosmic horrors we've wrought — and wondering whether crashing rockets into asteroids can actually divert them.

**READ MORE:** [Astronomers Give Asteroid Moon a New Name Before NASA Hits It With a Spacecraft](<https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/312067-astronomers-give-asteroid-moon-a-new-name-nasa-spacecraft?source=Extreme>) \[*ExtremeTech*\]

**More on asteroid collisions:** *[New Plan To Deflect Killer Asteroids: Tie Their Shoelaces Together](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/deflect-killer-asteroids-tie-shoelaces-together>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)