GUWAHATI: China is ramping up efforts to counter asteroid threats by forming a "planetary defence force" amid rising concerns over space hazards. The initiative, led by the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND), comes as the likelihood of asteroid 2024 YR4 impacting Earth has nearly doubled.
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The urgency behind these efforts has increased due to the growing risk posed by the asteroid. Although the chance of impact remains low, it has risen from 1.3 to 2.2 per cent. Measuring between 40 and 90 metres wide, the asteroid could cause significant destruction if it were to collide with Earth.
As a result, the country has begun recruiting young professionals in astrophysics, space exploration, and aerospace technology. SASTIND’s job posting aims to fill 16 positions, including three for the planetary defence force. Candidates must hold a master’s degree or higher, be under 35 years old, and support the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party. Those selected will be tasked with monitoring near-Earth asteroids and developing early warning systems.
China’s mission is similar to NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), which altered the trajectory of the asteroid Dimorphos in 2022. The Chinese space agency plans to launch its own mission around 2030 to study asteroids and assess methods of deflection using kinetic impact technology.
Retably, the United Nations’ Space Mission Planning Advisory Group, which includes China, is currently discussing potential global responses. Space agencies worldwide, including NASA and the European Space Agency, are collaborating to develop strategies for planetary defence as concerns over asteroid threats intensify.
