China prepares to hit asteroid using projectile with 26 times the speed of sound

According to the researchers, China’s planned mission goes beyond NASA’s DART demonstration by attempting a more realistic planetary defense scenario. Instead of merely altering the orbit of one asteroid around another, the mission is designed to directly change an asteroid’s trajectory relative to Earth. The researchers also said the impact could potentially disrupt or even break apart the asteroid’s structure if necessary. The project is being led by Li Mingtao, chief scientist for planetary defense at the China National Space Administration, and is intended to advance technologies that could one day help protect Earth from hazardous near-Earth objects. Impact test to advance asteroid defense The planned spacecraft would strike its asteroid target at speeds exceeding 5.6 miles per second, significantly faster than NASA’s DART spacecraft, which impacted its target at 3.8 miles per second. According to the paper, the encounter could take place during a close approach to Earth in 2029 or 2030, when the asteroid is expected to pass within roughly 4.3 million miles of the planet. The impact speed would be equivalent to more than Mach 26 at sea level. Beyond the impact itself, the mission will include a second spacecraft dedicated to observing the asteroid before, during and after the collision. The probe will monitor changes in the asteroid’s orbit, shape and surface while also studying its internal structure. Unlike the European Space Agency’s Hera mission, which was launched separately to examine the aftermath of NASA’s DART test, China plans to include both the impactor and observation spacecraft within the same mission. Researchers from the China National Space Administration and the Chinese Academy of Sciences said the approach is intended to better simulate a real planetary defense scenario by directly altering an asteroid’s trajectory relative to Earth, the South China Morning Post reported. The upcoming asteroid strike mission will focus on four key objectives: accurately hitting the target, successfully changing its orbit, precisely measuring the impact results, and confirming that Earth remains safe after the test, SCMP adds. The spacecraft will target near-Earth asteroid 2015 XF261, a relatively little-studied object first identified in 2015. Scientists estimate the asteroid is about 98 feet wide, although its exact dimensions are still uncertain. The mission is designed to provide valuable data on how kinetic impacts can be used to alter asteroid trajectories and improve future planetary defense capabilities. Unlike NASA’s DART target, which was a 525-foot rubble-pile asteroid, China’s mission will strike a smaller object believed to be a stronger, more solid body. The two spacecraft will launch together before separating, with one heading directly for impact and the other using a Venus gravity assist to observe the aftermath. The mission will face major challenges, including autonomous targeting and measuring the impact’s effects. Scientists expect to learn more about the asteroid’s size, shape and rotation before the strike, while the spacecraft will need to hit it precisely without real-time guidance from Earth. Afterwards, researchers will track any orbital changes to confirm the deflection worked. Recommended ArticlesGet the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Bojan Stojkovski is a freelance journalist based in Skopje, North Macedonia, covering foreign policy and technology for more than a decade. His work has appeared in Foreign Policy, ZDNet, and Nature.