Archive · 20 Jul 2026
China Plans Ambitious Asteroid Strike Mission
China is planning a big space mission to hit an asteroid with a spacecraft.
They want to see if they can change the asteroid's path or even break it into pieces.
This mission is more powerful than what NASA did with their DART mission.
China will use a special rocket to send two spacecraft: one to hit the asteroid and another to watch what happens.
The asteroid they are targeting is smaller and stronger than the one NASA hit.
The impact will be very fast, which might make the asteroid break apart.
This is all part of a plan to protect Earth from dangerous space rocks.
China plans to strike Asteroid 2015 XF261 with a spacecraft at 9 km/s (Mach 26).
The mission aims to deflect or potentially shatter the asteroid, going beyond NASA's DART mission.
The target asteroid is 98 feet in size and is believed to be a solid body.
China will use a single rocket to launch both the impactor and observer spacecraft.
The intercept is expected to happen around 2029 or 2030 when the asteroid is 7 million kilometres from Earth.
- Who
- China National Space Administration (CNSA), led by Li Mingtao
- What
- A mission to strike and potentially shatter Asteroid 2015 XF261
- When
- Expected intercept around 2029 or 2030
- Where
- Near Earth, approximately 7 million kilometres away
- Why
- To test planetary defence capabilities and deflect or break apart the asteroid
China's Approach
NASA's Approach
Mission Objectives
China's Approach
China aims to deflect and potentially shatter the asteroid.
NASA's Approach
NASA's DART mission altered the asteroid's orbit and changed its shape.
Asteroid Target
China's Approach
China targets Asteroid 2015 XF261, a 98-foot solid body.
NASA's Approach
NASA targeted Dimorphos, a 525-foot rubble-pile asteroid.
Observation Method
China's Approach
China will use a single rocket to launch both the impactor and observer spacecraft.
NASA's Approach
NASA and ESA used separate missions for impact and observation.
- Mission Lead
- Li Mingtao, chief scientist of planetary defence at CNSA
- Target Asteroid
- Asteroid 2015 XF261
- Asteroid Size
- 98 feet
- Impact Speed
- 9 km/s (Mach 26)
- Expected Intercept Time
- 2029 or 2030
- Distance from Earth
- 7 million kilometres
- Observation Method
- Same rocket carries impactor and observer spacecraft