China's Plan to Intercept Asteroid: Testing Methods for Close-Earth Object Deflection
Space Race Redux: China's Asteroid Deflection Mission
China's daring space endeavor, reminiscent of NASA's DART mission, aims to deflect an asteroid from its path. Slated for launch in 2027, this bold project could shake up the cosmos.
According to a recent revelation in the Journal of Deep Space Exploration, China has set its sights on asteroid 2015 XF261. This asteroid cruised past our planet at a distance of 31 million miles (50 million kilometers) last July but will make a closer approach in February 2025.
While it currently poses no threat to Earth, the objective of the mission is to showcase a method to shift a space rock should one ever pose a danger to our planet.
The upcoming mission consists of two spacecraft, one designed for observation and the other, the impactor. The observation spacecraft will delve into the asteroid's dimensions, shape, composition, and orbit, per The Planetary Society. The impactor, meanwhile, will collide with the asteroid in a high-speed energy impact test. The observation craft will monitor the collision and its aftermath for up to a year.
The mission bears a striking resemblance to NASA's DART mission, which nudged a small asteroid off its orbital course in September 2022. This mission targeted a small moonlet, Dimorphos, orbiting a larger space rock, Didymos, and was a resounding success. Prior to DART's impact, Dimorphos took 11 hours and 55 minutes to orbit around Didymos, which decreased to 11 hours and 23 minutes post-impact. A follow-up mission is set to launch in October, to study the aftermath of DART's mission.
Yet, unlike NASA's mission, it remains unclear what kind of deviation the Chinese mission will cause to its target asteroid, and whether it would affect its distance from Earth.
China's mission aims to steal the spotlight in planetary defense, combining the essence of two missions — observation and impact — in one go. By gathering valuable data on asteroids' origins, such missions could aid us in understanding more about our solar system and possibly safeguarding our planet from potential threats.
So keep an eye on the heavens, as China readies to make history with this epic space adventure!
The Chinese asteroid deflection mission, planned for a 2027 launch, will target asteroid 2015 XF261, which will make a closer approach to Earth in February 2025. This mission, as outlined by The Planetary Society, consists of two spacecraft: one for observation and another for impact. The objective, similar to NASA's DART mission, is to demonstrate a method for asteroid deflection should one pose a danger to Earth. Unlike DART, however, the extent of deviation the Chinese mission will cause to its target asteroid remains unclear. This ambitious endeavor could provide crucial insights into the solar system and potentially enhance our ability to protect Earth from space threats.