As part of plans for a planet defence system, China will conduct a kinetic impactor test to modify the orbit of a potentially dangerous asteroid.
According to Wu Yanhua, deputy head of the China National Space Administration (CNSA), China is formulating a planetary defence plan and would conduct technical studies and research into developing technologies to address risks presented by near-Earth asteroids (CCTV).
At the same time, CNSA will build software to simulate operations against near-Earth objects and test and verify basic processes, as well as establish an early warning system.
Finally, a mission will conduct near inspections of a potentially harmful asteroid before impacting it to change its orbit.
According to Wu, the mission will take place near the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan term (2021-2025) or in 2026.
According to Wu, the technology would assist humanity deal with the threat of near-Earth objects and provide a fresh contribution to China in the future.
Wu delivered the statements at an event in Wenchang, Hainan province, to commemorate China’s seventh national space day. The launch of China’s first satellite, Dongfanghong-1, into orbit on April 24, 1970, is commemorated on April 24.
China will explore plans for creating a near-earth object defence system and expand the capability of near-earth object monitoring, cataloguing, early warning, and response over the 2021-2025 period, according to a space “white paper” released in January.
In October 2021, China hosted its inaugural Planetary Defense Conference, which featured workshops, papers, and presentations on a variety of related topics.
China is neither the first nor the only space agency to be working on planetary defence systems.
In November 2021, NASA launched the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART). In September, the spacecraft will collide with Dimorphos, a minor planet moon orbiting the near-Earth asteroid Didymos.
Later this decade, the European Space Agency will send its Hera mission to Didymos and Dimorphos to investigate the consequences of the DART experiment.
A combined asteroid sample return and comet rendezvous mission is also being developed by China. The mission will target Earth’s quasi-satellite Kamooalewa, deliver samples to Earth, and then head for a rendezvous with main-belt comet 311P/PANSTARRS, which is projected to launch before 2025.