Collision Deemed Major Success
The hyper-speed demise of NASA's Deep Impact probe generated an
immense flash of light, which provided an excellent light source
for the two cameras on the Deep Impact mothership. Deep Impact
scientists theorize the 820-pound impactor vaporized deep below the
comet's surface when the two collided at 0152 July 4, at a speed of
about 10 kilometers per second (6.3 miles per second or 23,000
miles per hour).