China Establishes Planetary Defense Force to Counter Asteroid Threat
In response to the growing concern over a potential asteroid impact, China has established a planetary defense force. This initiative is part of a broader effort to safeguard Earth from near-Earth objects (NEOs) that pose a threat to the planet.
The Threat of Asteroid 2024 YR4
The impetus for this move is the discovery of asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a 2.2% chance of hitting Earth in 2032. This asteroid, estimated to be between 40 and 90 meters (130 to 300 feet) wide, was identified by the University of Hawaii’s Institute of Astronomy in late December. The European Space Agency (ESA) has placed it at the top of its risk list, prompting global asteroid response mechanisms.
China’s Planetary Defense Strategy
China’s State Administration of Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense has begun assembling a space defense team by posting recruitment listings for roles focused on asteroid monitoring and the development of early warning systems. The team will work on creating methods to study asteroid monitoring and develop early warning methods.
The country is considering a similar approach to NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, which successfully altered the trajectory of an asteroid in 2022 by using kinetic impactors. China’s method of planetary defense would reportedly include crashing a DART-style spacecraft into the asteroid to deflect it from its Earth-bound path.
Upcoming Missions and International Collaboration
China’s first planetary defense test mission is already taking shape. The ambitious mission aims to both observe and impact a near-Earth asteroid with a single launch. The mission, expected to launch before 2030, will use a Long March 3B rocket and will involve two spacecraft: one to observe the asteroid and another to impact it. The observer spacecraft will monitor the entire impact process and evaluate the aftermath for 6-12 months to ascertain the effects.
China has also expressed openness to international collaboration in planetary defense. The country has been increasingly serious about planetary defense, with indications of a first kinetic impact deflection test mission targeting the object 2019 VL5 with a launch in 2025. However, recent reports suggest that the mission may now target the asteroid 2015 XF261, with a launch expected around 2027.
Global Context and Future Plans
The establishment of China’s planetary defense force comes amidst a global effort to enhance planetary defense capabilities. NASA’s DART mission and the upcoming European Space Agency’s Hera mission are part of this broader initiative to protect Earth from asteroid impacts. China’s contributions to this field are expected to significantly advance humanity’s capabilities in planetary defense and our understanding of asteroids themselves.