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China Plans to Send Fleet of Rockets into Space to Divert an Asteroid Away from Earth

According to the Daily Mail, experts at China’s National Space Science Centre have unveiled a plan to launch a fleet of rockets into space to practice diverting an asteroid away from Earth.
Their target is asteroid Bennu — a 1,614 feet (492 m) -wide spinning-top shaped body whose orbit will bring it within 7.5 million kilometres of Earth’s from 2175–2199.
At this time, the space rock will be classified as being potentially dangerous, with scientists having predicted it will have a 1-in-2,700 chance of hitting the Earth.
However, Chinese simulations suggest that the simultaneous impact of 23 'Long March 5' rockets, each some 900 tonnes, could knock Bennu 5,592 miles off course.
This is equal to 1.4 times the Earth's radius — and could be the difference between the asteroid sailing on by and slamming into Earth with devastating consequences.
Asteroid impacts pose a major threat to all life on Earth,' wrote paper author and space science engineer Mingtao Li of the National Space Science Center in Beijing.
'Deflecting an asteroid on an impact trajectory is critical to mitigating this threat.'
To knock an asteroid like Bennu off of its original course, a considerable amount of kinetic energy would be needed.
While using nuclear-powered explosions may seem the obvious choice for such an endeavour, this approach would come with the risk of the target breaking into separate chunks which could also end up on a collision course with the Earth.
However, Dr Li explained, it will be 'possible to defend against large asteroids with a nuclear-free technique within ten years.'
The approach proposed by the Chinese team would see multiple rockets strike the surface of Bennu at once — after spending some three years travelling from the Earth to reach the asteroid.
The effectiveness of each 'deflector' craft — dubbed an 'Assembled Kinetic Impactor' — would be improved by not separating from the rocket's upper stage, thereby providing extra mass to bear on the impact.
According to the team, the Long March 5 rocket would require minimal modifications — such as the addition of manoeuvring thrusters — in order to to be repurposed for an asteroid deflection mission.
The Long March 5 is the same rocket design that made an uncontrolled re-entry into Earth's atmosphere back in May this year.
Fortunately, the errant rocket craft ended up disintegrating safely over the Indian Ocean, causing no harm.
China is not the only power, however, making preparations to deflect asteroids that could potentially end up on a collision course with the Earth.
HAMMER — short for 'Hypervelocity Asteroid Mitigation Mission for Emergency Response' — is a US concept study to investigate the efficacy of using spacecraft as either a kinetic or nuclear impactor against an asteroid.
NASA simulations suggested that it might take 34–53 HAMMER strikes, all launched 10 years before Bennu and Earth were due to collide, to adequately deflect the asteroid onto a different course.
Were HAMMER to have 25 years lead time, however, such a figure could be reduced to only 7–11 individual launches.
Source: dailymail
Image source: REX/shutterstock- dailymail
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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