Taking into consideration the possibility of the asteroid named 2024 YR4 colliding with Earth, the space agencies of the USA and China have initiated a planet defense plan. This asteroid, classified as “city-destroying,” has spurred the international space community into action. Collaboratively, the USA and China’s space agencies have begun planning for the potential impact of the “city-destroying” asteroid.
As the likelihood of Asteroid 2024 YR4 impacting Earth continues to fluctuate, the global space community has also taken action. China has launched a planet defense initiative aimed at preventing the dangerous asteroid named 2024 YR4 from colliding with Earth in 2032.
The China National Space Administration (SASTIND) recently announced the formation of a specialized space defense team. The team formation process was expedited following the discovery of the 2024 YR4 asteroid in December of last year by the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy.
The orbit of the asteroid, with a diameter ranging from 40 to 90 meters, has raised concerns among astronomers worldwide.
Therefore, SASTIND announced that it is looking for expert graduates in asteroid tracking and early warning systems through the WeChat social media platform. China’s planet defense strategy reportedly includes methods similar to NASA’s successful Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission on the Dimorphos asteroid in 2022.
In NASA’s DART mission, a specially designed spacecraft collided with the asteroid to alter its orbit. A similar technique could be employed to stop the YR4 asteroid expected to reach Earth in the early 2030s.
The European Space Agency continues to provide regular updates on the movements of the asteroid.
According to current calculations, the approach of 2024 YR4 to Earth is not anticipated until the year 2032.