Recruitment to Chinese “planetary defense forces”, a new team that is to monitor and warn of asteroids. One of the Chinese government agencies recruit and the positions are waiting for three volunteers. Recruitment began a few days after analysts to 2.3 percent increased the likelihood that in 2032 the asteroids could be hit.
Measuring about 100 meters in diameter, the asteroid 2024 YR4 was discovered by a telescope placed in Chile at the end of December 2024 as part of the Atlas (Asteroid Terrestial-Iimpact Last Alert System) program, detecting celestial bodies potentially threatening earth. According to the first calculations of international experts, there was a 1.2 % probability that in December 2032 it would collide with our planet. After further observations of the object, this risk was raised at the beginning of February to 2.3 percent.
A week later, on the Chinese State Administration website for space, technology and industry for national defense (Sastind), a job offer has appeared in the “planetary defense forces”, a special unit, for the time being a small unit, which will include monitoring and warning before asteroids approaching the earth.
China's planetary defense forces
According to the findings of the Chinese media, three positions are to be filled as part of the recruitment. The candidates are required to be the title of at least an engineer in areas such as astrophysics, aviation and space technologies. They also cannot be more than 35 years old. Applications will be accepted until the end of February – indicates the portal of the Chinese government television Phoenix TV. As the British “The Guardian” adds, potential employees must also demonstrate “strong” support against the communist party of China and its leader, XI Jinping.
The advertisement caused considerable stir in Chinese social media. “The earth will depend on your three. Isn't that stressful?” – One of the users of the Weiber messenger joined in the statement cited by “The Guardian”. “If you succeed, you'll be a hero who saves the world. But if you fail, no one will show you for her. There will be no one to punish you” – another Internet user joked.
The risk of asteroid impact
“The Guardian” emphasizes that although the recruitment was launched shortly after twice the likelihood of the asteroid of 2024 YR4 in Earth has increased, these events do not have to be directly related. Responsible for recruitment Sastind has not yet responded to the daily inquiry in this matter.
According to Andrew Jones, the Spacenews correspondent specializing in the Chinese space sector, the moment of recruitment seems to be convergent with the discovery of 2024 YR4. New employees will probably become a “complement to the activities already carried out by China for the development of planetary defense ability,” added an expert quoted by “The Guardian”.
See also: Asteroid 2024 YR4 can collide with soil. The most powerful telescope in the world enters the action
Source of the main photo: Shutterstock