According to a leading specialist in the country's space industry, China is considering conducting its first near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) defence demonstration test to approach and closely monitor an asteroid before striking it to change its orbit around 2030.
To increase the ability of the world to monitor, warn about, and manage extraterrestrial hazards, Wu Yanhua, deputy director of the China National Space Administration, announced on April 22 that China has begun forming a research and development system for defence against near-Earth asteroids.
"We will develop defence simulation software, prepare defence system exercises, and plan defence system planning.
We want to collaborate with other members of the world community to protect the security of the mother planet and its inhabitants, he said.
Chinese researchers have been debating methods for deflecting potentially hazardous asteroids for years and have come up with some initial ideas.
In order to track, compute, and issue warnings about asteroids coming towards Earth, NASA in the United States and the European Space Agency have initiated experimental programmes on a global scale.
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