China Aims to Deflect a Near-Earth Asteroid by 2030

China is aiming to enter the field of planetary defense. A recent paper by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) reveals plans for a test mission in 2030 to deflect a small asteroid from its current trajectory.

If there is to be a space race, developing methods to protect Earth from rogue asteroids is one of the more benevolent goals. Of course, this assumes no one considers using the technology to redirect asteroids towards Earth, which would veer into Bond villain territory.

Frequent Space Debris Impacts on Earth

Earth is hit by objects from outer space up to 50 times a day. Most of these objects are as small as grains of sand, so they don’t matter much.

However, larger objects occasionally strike, and very rarely, these objects are large enough to cause extinction events, like the one that wiped out the dinosaurs.

Even a medium-sized asteroid can cause significant damage without even hitting the ground. In 2013, a meteor exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia, with the force of a 500-kiloton nuclear bomb, shattering windows and damaging buildings.

Similarly, in 1908, an asteroid exploded over Tunguska, Siberia, with a force of up to 50 megatons.

Proactive Measures Against Potentially Hazardous Asteroids

Humanity was extremely lucky in both instances, but relying on luck isn’t a viable strategy for the future. Therefore, there’s growing interest in identifying, tracking, and deflecting potentially hazardous asteroids before they pose a real threat.

In a paper published in the Journal of Deep Space Exploration, the CNSA outlines a planned mission to demonstrate China’s capability to carry out such a deflection.

They are targeting a near-Earth asteroid about 100 ft (30 m) in diameter called 2015 XF261, which passed within 31 million miles (50 million km) of Earth on June 9, 2024.

The mission’s goal isn’t just to deflect the asteroid but also to determine its shape, size, composition, and structure using spectral and laser 3D detectors, mid-field color cameras, detection radars, and dust particle analyzers.

These observations will occur over three to six months after the spacecraft enters orbit around the asteroid in 2030. Following the completion of these observations, a kinetic impactor will be launched at the asteroid.

The spacecraft will then stay in position for six to 12 months to measure the impact effects, including changes in the asteroid’s orbit, studying the impact crater, and analyzing the ejected materials.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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