China Recruits for Planetary Defense Against Asteroid

China has initiated a recruitment drive for a planetary defense force in response to the potential threat posed by asteroid 2024 YR4, which could impact Earth in 2032. The asteroid, measuring between 40 and 90 meters wide, has seen its impact probability increase from 1.3% to 2.2%, according to NASA and the European Space Agency. China's State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND) is seeking young graduates skilled in aerospace engineering and international cooperation, emphasizing a political alignment with the Chinese Communist Party. The recruitment aims to bolster China's capabilities in asteroid detection and deflection, following NASA's successful test of altering an asteroid's path in 2022. This initiative is part of a broader international effort, with the UN's Space Mission Planning Advisory Group discussing possible responses. Public interest in China is high, with social media abuzz about the potential impact and the new defense roles.