Move over, sci-fi movies—China is stepping up its planetary defense game! 🌍💥 The country plans to launch an experimental asteroid deflection mission as early as 2025, joining global efforts to protect Earth from potential space threats. Think of it as a real-life Armageddon (minus the Bruce Willis cameo).
Wu Weiren, chief designer of China’s Lunar Exploration Program, revealed the project will use a kinetic impactor—a spacecraft designed to collide with an asteroid—to alter its orbit by 3-5 centimeters. Sound familiar? It’s similar to NASA’s 2022 DART mission, but with a Made-in-China twist. 🛰️🇨🇳
The mission targets a small asteroid tens of millions of kilometers away, part of a broader strategy to build a defense system covering detection, early warning, and emergency response. "We need to safeguard our planet," Wu told CGTN, highlighting plans first unveiled at the 2024 Tiandu Forum, a global deep-space exploration conference.
International collaboration is key, experts say. This year’s Tiandu Forum brought together researchers to discuss asteroid tracking and resource utilization—proving that when it comes to space rocks, teamwork makes the dream work. 🤝🌠
