China Prepares Bold Asteroid Deflection Mission to Showcase Planetary Defense Technology

China has announced an ambitious planetary defense mission that will attempt to alter the orbit of a near-Earth asteroid using a dual-spacecraft approach, aiming to strengthen its role in global space security.

Two Spacecraft, Two Roles

The mission involves launching two spacecraft with distinct objectives. The first will serve as an observer, approaching the target asteroid to conduct a detailed survey of its surface composition, mass, and rotation. These measurements will help determine the precise force and impact required for the deflection attempt.

The second spacecraft will act as an impactor, striking the asteroid at high speed to shift its orbit by just a few centimeters. While seemingly small, such adjustments could, over time, divert a potentially hazardous asteroid away from Earth.

Target Selection

The chosen asteroid will be a near-Earth object located tens of millions of kilometers away. It poses no direct threat to Earth, making it an ideal candidate for testing planetary defense technologies under safe conditions. According to early calculations, the impact should alter its orbit by around 3–5 centimeters, a change that will be carefully monitored by the observer spacecraft as well as ground- and space-based telescopes.

Parallels with NASA’s DART Mission

This will not be the first attempt at asteroid deflection. In 2022, NASA successfully executed the DART mission, which impacted the moonlet Dimorphos, demonstrating that an asteroid’s trajectory can indeed be shifted. China’s effort will mark only the second such mission in history, reinforcing the effectiveness of this planetary defense strategy.

Global Cooperation and Data Sharing

Chinese scientists stress the importance of international cooperation in planetary defense. Wu Weiren, chief designer of China’s lunar exploration program, emphasized that Beijing is ready to share mission data with the global scientific community.

"China is open to international cooperation in planetary defense," said Wu Weiren, highlighting the mission’s role in building a joint global framework against asteroid threats.

China’s Wider Space Ambitions

The asteroid mission is part of a broader portfolio of Chinese space exploration projects. In May, Beijing launched the Tianwen-2 probe, designed to collect samples from asteroid 2016 HO3 before continuing to study comet 311P in the main belt. These missions aim to expand human knowledge of small Solar System bodies and advance space resource exploration.

The Need for Planetary Defense

Asteroids and comets frequently cross Earth’s orbit. While most burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere, larger ones could cause catastrophic damage. For this reason, scientists agree that developing technologies to alter their paths is one of the most reliable methods of protecting the planet. China’s upcoming mission marks another step toward building a robust global defense system against cosmic threats.