Two spacecraft are on course for 3I/ATLAS, a mysterious interstellar object that some believe could be an alien mothership.
3I/ATLAS is only the third confirmed interstellar object ever detected. It arrived from beyond the solar system, glows strangely, spins rapidly, and might even emit its own light. NASA insists it’s a comet. Others, like Avi Loeb, aren’t so sure. The Harvard astrophysicist has given it a 40% chance of being alien technology.
Unlike typical comets, astronomers haven’t clearly observed its ion tail. But that may change soon, thanks to a cosmic alignment involving two major spacecraft.
Spacecrafts en route for interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS
On October 29, both Europa Clipper and Hera will cross the area where 3I/ATLAS’s ion tail is expected to be.
According to IFL Science, Europa Clipper is NASA’s flagship mission to explore Jupiter’s icy moon. Hera, from European Space Agency, is heading toward the Didymos–Dimorphos binary asteroid system. The timing places both spacecraft directly in the projected path of the potential tail.
Hera won’t be able to collect data, but Europa Clipper has the instruments to try, if solar wind conditions cooperate between October 30 and November 6.
3I/ATLAS alien tech theories continue
Loeb has been one of the loudest voices pushing the alien mothership theory. He predicts that when the object swings closest to the sun on October 29, it will either disintegrate into fragments like a normal comet… or do something entirely different.
“If it doesn’t disintegrate, it could release mini-probes as a technological mothership,” Loeb said.
The astrophysicist has urged world leaders to prepare for potential first contact scenarios. Speaking to Dexerto, he warned that there are “no protocols for responding to the discovery of functioning alien devices near Earth.” He’s even submitted a white paper to United Nations calling for an international response plan.
“A visitor in our backyard requires immediate attention because it could pose an imminent threat,” he said.
Loeb has also suggested 3I/ATLAS may have transmitted a signal to Earth decades ago, linking it to the 1977 “Wow!” signal. The claim has fueled widespread speculation online.
The spacecraft flyby comes amid a wave of extraterrestrial headlines, including NASA reporting new evidence of potential ancient alien life on Mars.
Whether 3I/ATLAS is a natural visitor or something more, the moment of truth arrives October 29. If anything happens, it’ll be one Halloween the world won’t forget.
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