China Probes Ways Of Rerouting Asteroids With Long March 5 Rockets - Reports

BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th July, 2021) Scientists at the Chinese National Space Science Center have conducted research into the possibility of using the Long March 5 carrier rockets to change the path of potentially dangerous asteroids, the South China Morning Post reported on Wednesday.

One of the hypotheses in the works is reportedly to launch 23 Long March 5 rockets at the same time from different parts of China. Each rocket will be equipped with a deflector � a device designed to prevent the asteroid's destruction. Their job will be not to crash the threatening space object but rather push it away from the Earth.

It will take the rockets three years to reach the target asteroid in this "doomsday scenario," according to the report.

With regard to engineering, this scenario will only need some minor modifications to the rockets, such as adding a few small engines.

The fuel, if not used up during the launch, will give the rockets an additional thrust during their flight towards the asteroid, while the fuselage will increase the total mass of the deflector.

This method, according to the scientists, will only help change the trajectory of an asteroid the size�of Bennu, which is 0.3 mile in diameter. But even this will only be enough for the asteroid to fly safely at a distance of around 1.4 times the Earth's radius, which means that not all cities will be saved from destruction.

Conversely, if the nuclear power is used to destroy the dangerous asteroid, risks remain that it will fall apart and the chunks may still harm our planet.