China reveals it will deflect asteroid to avoid brutal collision with Earth

China is preparing its first asteroid impact mission with the aim of protecting Earth.

A China National Space Administration (CNSA) chose asteroid 2015 as its target XF261an object about 30 meters wide.

The organization Planetary Society highlighted that this mission is a significant advance in China’s plans for planetary defense. In a recent article in Journal of Deep Space Explorationproposals for “China’s first near-Earth asteroid defense and in-orbit verification mission” were discussed.

The study describes a “defensive disposal demonstration,” simulating an Earth impact risk scenario.

According to the Space website, the mission is scheduled to take place until 2030 and will have two main objectives: one spacecraft will impact the asteroid, while another will observe the event to collect data on the formation of the solar system.

The Chinese initiative follows in the footsteps of NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), which in September 2022 successfully diverted the path of the asteroid Dimorphos.

Data from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) indicate that asteroid 2015 XF261 passed at a relatively close distance to Earth on Tuesday, July 9.

It was 50 million kilometers from the planet, traveling at a speed of approximately 42,000 km/h, almost 30 times faster than the speed of sound.

Credit/Photo: DETLEV VAN RAVENSWAAY, SCIENCE SOURCE