Track simulation diagram of near-Earth asteroid 2023 VB2 Photo: Website of Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory
China is planning a kinetic impact demonstration mission on an asteroid to verify the feasibility of asteroid defense solutions, said Wu Weiren, chief designer of China’s lunar exploration program, at the recent third International Conference on Deep Space Exploration (Tiandu), state broadcaster CCTV News reported on Friday.
Wu explained that the mission will adopt a “fly-along + impact + fly-along” operational model, involving the launch of an observer and an impactor.
The observer will first reach the target asteroid to carry out close-range observations, with the goal of obtaining detailed characteristic parameters. Once the observer has completed these preparatory tasks, the impactor will subsequently carry out a high-speed impact on the asteroid, according to the report.
The entire impact process will be observed through space-ground collaborative efforts, utilizing technologies such as close-range high-speed imaging to monitor changes in the asteroid’s orbit, morphology, and ejecta, achieving an accurate assessment of the impact effects, CCTV News reported.
China unveiled its first near-Earth asteroid (NEA) defense mission in September 2024, aimed at closely observing an asteroid before executing a kinetic impact to alter its trajectory around 2030, according to 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 major asteroid impact could devastate human civilization, even leading to extinction, calling it a critical threat to Earth’s future, emphasizing that China’s pursuit of NEA defense missions carries profound scientific significance, engineering value, and humanistic importance.
China will issue a cooperation initiative to global partners to conduct active cooperation in areas including joint ground-based monitoring, joint development and payload integration, as well as data and achievement sharing, CCTV News reported.
Global Times