Celestial Aegis: China Moves to Establish Asteroid Defence System

In 2025 or 2026, China is also reportedly expected to launch an experimental mission that would involve a spacecraft closely observing and then taking action against an asteroid.

Chinese authorities seek to create a system that may help protect our planet from potentially dangerous close encounters with near-Earth asteroids, China Daily reports.

According to the media outlet, Wu Yanhua, deputy director of the China National Space Administration, announced last week that China is moving to develop a research and development system that would bolster the world’s capability to monitor and deal with potential threats from outer space.

"We will make plans for the defense system, develop defense simulation software and arrange exercises for essential procedures. We want to share our solutions with other members in the international community and work with others to safeguard the mother planet's safety and its people", he said.

As Wu had explained, the first step in this endeavour is going to be the creation of an early warning network comprised of both satellites and ground facilities.

"We need to categorize near-Earth asteroids and then analyze which will likely become a threat to humankind. Then we will study the technologies that can be used to neutralize the hazards", Wu added.

He also said that China’s space administration is going to launch an experimental mission in 2025 or 2026, which would involve a spacecraft closely observing and then taking action against an asteroid.

"We will use the experiment to verify technologies and methods on how to deflect an asteroid heading for Earth", Wu elaborated. "It will allow us to explore ways to avoid extraterrestrial bodies' threat to Earth".