Test of destruction of an asteroid by China

China is planning when to launch a spacecraft with a very ambitious goal, destroying a near-Earth asteroid. This impact will be a crucial test to verify the feasibility of protecting our planet against any asteroid that could threaten our existence, such as the one theorized to be exterminated the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

Chinese researchers detailed these plans in a recent article published in the Journal of Deep Space Exploration and Planetary Society revealed this incredible news, the test mission is planned to occur before 2030 and the target will be an asteroid approximately 30 m in diameter.

Initially scientists had chosen the asteroid 2019 VL5 for this mission, but now it seems that the new target will be the asteroid 2015 XF261, the proposed spacecraft will be composed of two parts, an observer and an impactor, these devices will be launched together and a mission combines, first the Observer Probe will arrive at the asteroid and spend 3 to 6 months analyzing it and maneuvering around it, then the impactor probe will collide with the space rock while the Observer Probe studies the effects of the impact.

NASA has also been conducting its own planetary defense tests in 2022. The impact of the Dart mission against the 172-meter-wide asteroid Dimorphus was a historic milestone, being the world's first demonstration of planetary defense technology, after the impact scientists They concluded that the collision changed the orbit and shape of the asteroid, demonstrating that it is possible to alter the trajectory of an asteroid. NASA is also developing the NEO Surveyor space telescope, scheduled for launch in June 2000 28, whose objective is to detect nearby objects. to land that may pose a threat.

Although the existence of no known asteroid threatening Earth in the near future has been disclosed, scientists continue to search for the best defense strategies and with China joining this vital mission it is interesting to know that NASA is not alone in the task of protect our planet.

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