The 9.3 military parade was already impressive, but the latest revelation of a super weapon has taken things to an entirely new level!
In the past, the phrase “Our goal is the stars and beyond” may have seemed like just a slogan or an emotional expression. However, after seeing the latest developments, it’s clear that China has never been focused solely on earthly competition but has always been firmly focused on reaching for the stars!
1. China’s Asteroid Defense Plan Exposed, Creating Global Shockwaves
Recently, at the 3rd Deep Space Exploration (Tiandu) International Conference, China’s Moon Mission Chief Designer, Wu Weiren, revealed that China is planning an asteroid kinetic impact demonstration mission. This mission aims to test the technology for defending against near-Earth asteroid impacts. The task follows a “fly-by detection—kinetic impact—effect assessment” model: a detector first maps the target asteroid, then a kinetic impactor strikes the asteroid, and finally, coordinated observations will analyze the impact results and orbital data. This marks the first systematic attempt by humanity to develop asteroid defense technology, and its significance is immense.
Why focus on asteroids?
By 2024, humanity has already discovered over 36,000 near-Earth asteroids. Of these, asteroids that come within 0.05 astronomical units of Earth and have diameters larger than 140 meters are considered “potentially hazardous asteroids” (PHA), making up about 10% of the total. There are roughly 2,000 known near-Earth asteroids with diameters exceeding 1 kilometer.
Scientists estimate that asteroids over 1 kilometer in diameter impact Earth on average once every 700,000 years, while those over 10 kilometers in diameter collide with Earth roughly every 100 million years. The consequences of such an impact are catastrophic. For example, an asteroid with a density of 3 g/cm³, a speed of 25 km/s, and a diameter of 500 meters would release an energy equivalent to 3,000 megatons of TNT. An impact by an asteroid with a diameter over 1 kilometer could cause climate changes and mass extinctions, with a destructive range far beyond the asteroid’s size.
Around 66 million years ago, an asteroid about 10 kilometers in diameter struck what is now Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, causing global temperatures to drop by 18°C and plunging Earth into darkness for a long time, leading to the extinction of around 70% of species (including dinosaurs). Even earlier, Earth experienced an impact that caused the extinction of about 80% of species. Since then, Earth has encountered at least five other large asteroid impacts, each causing significant climate shifts and widespread biological deaths.
In 1908, a small celestial body impacted Siberia, destroying 40 kilometers of forest, with an explosion equivalent to 600 Hiroshima atomic bombs. China’s plan to conduct a kinetic asteroid impact demonstration is not only for the benefit of all humanity but also showcases its role as a responsible global power. Furthermore, asteroid impacts offer the opportunity to seize the high ground in deep space technology, explore rare minerals, and improve defense capabilities.
2. Behind the Technical Breakthroughs, China’s Space Ambitions Reach New Heights
From the completion of the “Tiangong” space station, the “Fendouzhe” deep-sea exploration, to the successful landing of the “Tianwen-1” on Mars, China’s space endeavors have been significant. Looking ahead, China’s plans include a manned moon landing, the construction of a lunar base, and asteroid defense technologies—all of which are essential steps in advancing humanity’s understanding of space.
China’s space development trajectory is not just focused on competing with the West but is aligned with the idea of “building a community of shared human destiny.” This notion focuses not only on Earth but extends to space, highlighting China’s commitment to lead global space exploration.
In 2025, China successfully launched the “Tianwen-2” probe to sample near-Earth asteroid 2016 HO3 and explore main-belt comet 311P. This marks a significant milestone in China’s deep-space strategy, with practical applications in asteroid defense and resource collection.
China is actively seeking global collaboration in its space endeavors, promoting joint monitoring and data-sharing, contrasting with the Western focus on space weaponization and competition. Unlike NASA’s emphasis on “moon race” and limiting other countries’ involvement in space, China’s approach promotes cooperation, peace, and shared exploration.
3. China’s Shift from Passive to Active, Laying Out a Centennial Strategic Plan
Asteroid defense is not a science fiction concept; it’s a matter of human survival and resource security. An asteroid of substantial size could destroy human civilization as we know it, making monitoring and defense a global responsibility. China is taking proactive steps toward this.
Why is the defense of asteroids so important for resources? According to the American Planetary Society, an asteroid with a diameter of 1 kilometer could contain metal resources worth trillions of dollars. Though still speculative, asteroid resources are a vast and untapped wealth. These asteroids may come from other planets or star systems, offering a unique and highly valuable composition that could contribute to human development.
China, as an industrial powerhouse with aspirations for space exploration, is diving deep into space research. Wu Weiren stated that China is building an “Earth-Space Integrated Monitoring Network” for early asteroid impact warnings and resource exploration, demonstrating a commitment to sustainable leadership in space.
The United States’ “Artemis Program” to return humans to the moon has faced delays due to budget constraints, talent shortages, and industrial chain limitations. Despite China setting a goal to land humans on the moon by 2030, the U.S. may struggle to meet its deadline.
China’s space exploration roadmap is comprehensive, spanning from the Moon, Mars, and asteroids to the construction of space stations. Experts believe that unless there’s a drastic policy change, China is well-positioned to lead the global space race.
The West sees China as a threat, but China’s space ambitions are not aimed at confrontation; they are geared toward peace and cooperative exploration. This is China’s vision, and it represents the future of human civilization, where we all explore the stars together, rather than engage in colonial-style dominance.
In the next few years, China will reveal more “super-engineering” projects, such as kilometer-scale spacecraft and lunar bases. Some projects, like the International Lunar Research Station, are already under discussion with multiple countries. Let’s look forward to the day when the Eastern Dragon writes a magnificent space epic!
