China to conduct kinetic affect demonstration mission, testing asteroid protection feasibility: media report

Track simulation diagram of near-Earth asteroid 2023 VB2 Photo: Website of Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory

China is planning a kinetic affect demonstration mission on an asteroid to confirm the feasibility of asteroid protection options, mentioned Wu Weiren, chief designer of China’s lunar exploration program, on the current third International Conference on Deep Space Exploration (Tiandu), state broadcaster CCTV News reported on Friday.

Wu defined that the mission will undertake a “fly-along + impact + fly-along” operational mannequin, involving the launch of an observer and an impactor.

The observer will first attain the goal asteroid to hold out close-range observations, with the objective of acquiring detailed attribute parameters. Once the observer has accomplished these preparatory duties, the impactor will subsequently perform a high-speed affect on the asteroid, in accordance with the report.

The whole affect course of might be noticed by means of space-ground collaborative efforts, using applied sciences resembling close-range high-speed imaging to watch adjustments within the asteroid’s orbit, morphology, and ejecta, attaining an correct evaluation of the affect results, CCTV News reported.

China unveiled its first near-Earth asteroid (NEA) protection mission in September 2024, aimed toward intently observing an asteroid earlier than executing a kinetic affect to change its trajectory round 2030, in accordance with Tang Yuhua, a deputy chief designer of Chang’e-7 Mission, Xinhua News Agency reported.

At the 776th session of the Xiangshan Science Conference, themed “Key Scientific and Engineering Challenges in NEA Defense” held on March 13, Wu warned {that a} main asteroid affect might devastate human civilization, even resulting in extinction, calling it a vital risk to Earth’s future, emphasizing that China’s pursuit of NEA protection missions carries profound scientific significance, engineering worth, and humanistic significance.

China will situation a cooperation initiative to world companions to conduct energetic cooperation in areas together with joint ground-based monitoring, joint growth and payload integration, in addition to knowledge and achievement sharing, CCTV News reported.

Global Times