China opens recruitment for ‘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

China has begun recruiting for a planetary defence force after risk assessments determined that 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 (SASTIND) this week, sought young loyal graduates focused on aerospace engineering, international cooperation and asteroid detection.