Harvard Astronomer Suggests Monitoring Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS for Potential Probes
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb proposes that interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS could release mini-probes toward Earth and recommends using existing spacecraft to monitor its approach.
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has suggested that the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, currently traversing our solar system, might release mini-probes toward Earth.
Discovered on July 1, 2025, by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in Chile, 3I/ATLAS is the third confirmed interstellar object to enter our solar system, following 'Oumuamua in 2017 and Comet Borisov in 2019.
The comet is traveling at over 130,000 mph (210,000 km/h) and is expected to make its closest approach to the Sun on October 29, 2025, at a distance of approximately 1.35 astronomical units (AU).
Loeb has called on NASA to utilize existing spacecraft, such as the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Juno probe, to monitor 3I/ATLAS as it passes through the solar system.
While the consensus among astronomers is that 3I/ATLAS is a natural comet, Loeb emphasizes the importance of remaining open to alternative possibilities and conducting thorough observations to explore all potential explanations.