China plans to launch an asteroid deflection and observation mission before 2030, targeting the near-Earth asteroid 2015 XF261 or 2019 VL5 with a diameter of about 30 meters.
The mission will involve an observer probe to analyze the asteroid for 3-6 months and an impactor probe to collide with it, deviating its flight path initially by a few inches to test planetary defense capabilities and study asteroid dynamics, evolution, and origins.
The spacecraft will carry payloads like spectral and Laser 3D detectors, cameras, radars, and analyzers for detailed asteroid study. Ground-based telescopes and space telescopes like Xuntian will also be used for follow-up observations.
NASA's DART mission successfully altered an asteroid's trajectory, proving the ability to change an asteroid's orbit as a planetary defense system. NASA is also developing the NEO Surveyor space telescope, scheduled for launch in 2028, to detect potentially threatening near-Earth objects.
China's asteroid mission is part of a wider planetary defense system plan, aiming to advance capabilities in protecting Earth against hazardous near-Earth objects (NEOs) while exploring primordial planetary objects.
China is also enhancing its observation of near-Earth objects through telescopes and radar systems, with proposals for additional asteroid-hunting systems to improve detection and monitoring of potential threats.
Sources: Science Times, The Planetary Society, Yahoo News, The Bharat Express News.
This article was written in collaboration with [Generative AI news company Alchemiq](www.alchemiq.ai).
