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China Launches Recruitment for 'Planetary Defense Force' to Address 2024 YRA Asteroid Threat
China has kicked off a unique recruitment drive, searching for young, skilled graduates to join a new “planetary defense force” as part of its efforts to tackle potential asteroid threats. This comes after risk assessments revealed a possibility—albeit small—of an asteroid hitting Earth in 2032.
The asteroid in question, 2024 YR4, has climbed to the top of risk lists maintained by European and U.S. space agencies. Recent studies increased its chance of impact from 1.3% to 2.2%. The UN’s Space Mission Planning Advisory Group, which includes countries like China, has been meeting to coordinate a global response.
China’s State Administration of Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND) has posted 16 job openings, three of which are for the planetary defense team. These roles call for candidates under 35 with expertise in astrophysics, aerospace engineering, and asteroid monitoring. Applicants must also align ideologically with the Chinese Communist Party and its leader, Xi Jinping.
The job postings have stirred online discussions among young Chinese, particularly as youth unemployment hit record highs in 2023. Some joked about the high stakes, saying, “The Earth would depend on you three. Isn’t that stressful?” Another quipped, “If you succeed, you’re a hero. If you fail... well, there’d be no one left to blame.”
The planetary defense team will focus on developing advanced technology for asteroid detection and deflection, drawing inspiration from NASA’s 2020 DART mission. That mission successfully altered the trajectory of an asteroid by crashing a spacecraft into it—a groundbreaking achievement in planetary defense. China is planning its own asteroid-redirection mission in 2027, targeting a smaller asteroid named 2015 XF261. However, experts warn that disrupting a small asteroid could create more problems by scattering fragments in unpredictable paths.
While the timing of China’s recruitment coincides with the discovery of 2024 YR4, experts believe the jobs are part of broader efforts to enhance planetary defense capabilities. These include setting up monitoring systems and testing methods to alter the course of hazardous asteroids.
Scientists stress there’s no need to panic about 2024 YR4. International collaboration and proven techniques like those used in the DART mission give humanity a solid chance of deflecting threats like this. As one expert said, “It’s not something to fear—it’s something to study and prepare for.”
source:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/14/china-opens-recruitment-for-planetary-defence-force-amid-fears-of-asteroid-hitting-earth
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