China launches advanced monitoring system for near-Earth asteroids

China has announced the creation of a monitoring and early-warning system for near-Earth asteroids as part of its planetary defence efforts against potential impacts. The project will be developed by the China National Space Administration and will combine observations from ground-based and space-based equipment to identify potential risks in advance.

According to Global Times, a partner of TV BRICS, the country has already made significant progress in developing models and technologies capable of assessing potential threats posed by these celestial bodies. The new framework aims to expand observation, analysis and response capabilities, enabling faster detection of risky situations.

In addition to monitoring asteroids, China is also researching methods to alter the trajectory of objects that may pose a danger to the planet. Among the alternatives being studied is the use of a spacecraft to collide with the asteroid and alter its movement, as well as other techniques designed to divert it from Earth’s trajectory well in advance.

As part of the programme, China plans to carry out an impact test around 2027 against an asteroid located tens of millions of kilometres from the planet. The mission is expected to analyse the results of the operation and contribute to the development of technologies aimed at protecting the Earth from potential space threats.

Although thousands of near-Earth asteroids have already been identified, many smaller bodies remain unknown. By June 2026, more than 40,000 such objects had been catalogued worldwide, with no confirmed record of any being on a direct collision course with the planet.