China has launched a planetary defense team to address the potential threat of asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a 2.2% chance of impact in 2032. Led by SASTIND, the initiative focuses on asteroid tracking and impact prevention, marking China's growing role in global space defense efforts.
China has announced the creation of a planetary defense team as concerns rise over the potential threat posed by asteroid 2024 YR4. The move comes after the European Space Agency (ESA) identified the asteroid as the highest risk near-Earth object, with a 2.2% chance of impact in 2032.
The initiative is being led by China’s State Administration of Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND), which has begun recruiting researchers to specialize in asteroid tracking, early warning systems, and impact prevention strategies. The decision marks a significant step in China’s growing involvement in global planetary defense efforts.
Asteroid 2024 YR4, discovered in December 2024 by the University of Hawaii’s Institute of Astronomy, is estimated to be 40 to 90 meters (130 to 300 feet) wide. If it were to strike Earth, it could cause severe regional damage, prompting space agencies worldwide to closely monitor its trajectory.
While scientists emphasize that the probability of impact remains low, the asteroid’s presence has renewed discussions about the need for global cooperation in space defense.
China has been increasing its investments in space exploration and security, with missions to the Moon, Mars, and asteroid mining projects already underway. The formation of a planetary defense team follows international efforts such as NASA’s DART mission, which successfully altered an asteroid’s path in 2022.
As China strengthens its planetary defense capabilities, experts highlight the need for international collaboration in tracking and mitigating asteroid threats. The establishment of China’s defense team signals its intention to play a key role in protecting Earth from future cosmic hazards.
The European Commission has tightened Schengen visa rules for Russian citizens, limiting most new applicants to single-entry permits, citing security ...
President Donald Trump announced on Friday that no U.S. government official would attend the upcoming Group of 20 summit in South Africa later this mo...
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed it will fund full SNAP food benefits for more than 42 million Americans, following federal court orde...
Donald Trump said he is considering exempting Hungary from U.S. sanctions on Russian energy, citing its lack of port access. The remarks came during a...
Türkiye has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and 36 senior officials, citing alleged crimes in Gaza, claims Israe...
As competition over artificial intelligence intensifies, U.S. tech leaders are warning that China’s rapid state-backed progress could soon outpace the West, raising concerns that America is losing its technological edge.
U.S. President Donald Trump personally urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping to release imprisoned Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai during their meeting in South Korea last week, according to three individuals briefed on the discussions and a U.S. administration official.
The Azerbaijan University of Languages (AUL) hosted the screening of a documentary by AnewZ dedicated to the Belt and Road Initiative and the rising importance of the Middle Corridor in the global economy.
Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga lead the 2026 Grammy nominations, while K-Pop enters the Song of the Year category for the first time in the award’s history.
Israel launched airstrikes on southern Lebanon after ordering evacuations, accusing Hezbollah of rebuilding its forces despite a year-old ceasefire, as Lebanon and the United Nations warned of renewed border tensions.
U.S. Senate Republicans have blocked a resolution that would have barred President Donald Trump from launching military action against Venezuela without congressional approval, despite growing concern over recent U.S. strikes in the southern Caribbean.
The driver who rammed his car into a crowd in western France on Wednesday is suspected of "self-radicalisation" and had "explicit religious references" at home, the country's Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Thursday.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk won shareholder approval on Thursday for the largest corporate pay package in history as investors endorsed his vision of morphing the electric vehicle (EV) maker into an artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics juggernaut.
The Trump administration is seeking to make sharing data about pathogens a condition for countries receiving U.S. health aid, according to a draft document obtained by Reuters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed a new commander for drone air defences on Friday, recognising the critical role these defences play in countering the threat of Russian drones.
A majority of judges on Brazil's Supreme Court panel voted on Friday to dismiss former President Jair Bolsonaro's appeal against his 27-year prison sentence for allegedly plotting a coup to remain in power after the 2022 presidential election.
The United States has expressed full support for the European Union's proposal to use frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine and bring an end to the war with Russia, a U.S. source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.
The European Commission has tightened Schengen visa rules for Russian citizens, limiting most new applicants to single-entry permits, citing security risks linked to the war in Ukraine.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment