China to recruit 'planetary defence force' amid fears of asteroid hitting Earth

Recruitment drive comes amid increasing focus on an asteroid with a low — but growing — likelihood of hitting earth in seven years

The 2024 YR4 asteroid is at the top of the European and US space agencies’ risk lists, and last week analysts increased their probability assessment of it hitting Earth from 1.3% to 2.2%.

China has begun recruiting for a planetary defence force after risk assessments determined an asteroid could conceivably hit Earth in 2032.

Job ads posted online by China’s State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence this week sought young loyal graduates focused on aerospace engineering, international cooperation and asteroid detection.