China Develops Asteroid Defence system, Plans Kinetic Impact Test
China is actively developing a comprehensive system to defend Earth against potential asteroid impacts, revealed Wu Weiren, chief designer of China’s lunar exploration program, at the third Deep Space Exploration (Tiandu) International Conference in Hefei. The strategy encompasses early warning systems, in-orbit response capabilities, and a robust preparedness plan.
A key component of this initiative is a planned “fly-along-impact-fly-along” demonstration mission. This will involve sending two spacecraft: an observer to thoroughly survey a target asteroid, and an impactor to collide wiht it at high speed. Both spacecraft, alongside ground and space-based observation tools, will meticulously record the impact to assess its effectiveness.
This development comes alongside ongoing exploration efforts, including the recent May 29th launch of the tianwen 2 probe, tasked with collecting samples from asteroid 2016 HO3 and studying comet 311P.
Wu emphasized the dual nature of near-Earth asteroids – valuable resources and potential threats. China’s defense architecture will focus on “kinetic impact as the primary method,” supported by a range of technologies and a library of pre-planned missions for various risk levels.
The ultimate goal,Wu stated,is to establish a system where ”once a threat is discovered,we already have a plan in place,and once a risk arises,we can respond effectively.” This includes building an integrated network for asteroid cataloging, risk assessment, and early warning.
