The solar system is currently hosting a rare visitor: comet 3I/ATLAS, only the third confirmed interstellar object to pass through our cosmic neighborhood. Discovered in July 2025 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) survey telescope in Chile, when it was 4.5 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun, 3I/ATLAS presents a unique opportunity for astronomers. But studying this fast-moving comet, which is already receding into the depths of space, will require an equally ambitious approach.
Unlike comets originating within our solar system, 3I/ATLAS follows a hyperbolic trajectory, meaning it won’t be captured into an orbit around the Sun. Traveling at a blistering speed of over 60 kilometers per second (approximately 216,000 kilometers per hour or 134,000 miles per hour), and on a retrograde path – moving opposite to the planets – a traditional rendezvous mission, like the European Space Agency’s Rosetta mission to comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko in 2014, is impossible. A fly-by is the only feasible option, but even that presents significant challenges.
Now, a team of researchers has proposed a daring plan to intercept the interstellar comet, leveraging a technique known as a solar Oberth maneuver. This maneuver exploits the increased efficiency of rocket burns when performed within the strong gravitational field of the Sun. The concept, detailed in a paper published on arXiv, could allow a spacecraft to achieve the necessary velocity to catch up with 3I/ATLAS, albeit decades after the comet leaves the inner solar system.
Credit: NASA/Goddard/LASP/CU Boulder
The Solar Oberth Maneuver: A Complex Trajectory
Adam Hibberd of the Initiative for Interstellar Studies in London, along with T. Marshall Eubanks at Space Initiatives Inc. In Princeton, have developed a potential trajectory using code Hibberd calls Optimum Interplanetary Trajectory Software (OITS). The plan involves an initial slowdown, paradoxically, by first directing a spacecraft towards Jupiter. From there, the probe would plunge towards the Sun for an extremely close approach, utilizing a powerful rocket burst during perihelion – the point of closest approach to the Sun – to gain immense velocity.
The calculations suggest the optimal launch window is 2035, requiring a SpaceX Starship Block 3 upper stage refueled in low Earth orbit – a capability that remains unproven as of March 2026. The spacecraft would need to pass a mere 15 million kilometers (93 million miles) from the Sun’s surface, four times closer than NASA’s Parker Solar Probe achieved in 2024, necessitating an advanced heat shield. Even with this extreme maneuver, the probe wouldn’t overtake 3I/ATLAS for at least 35 years.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
What We Know About 3I/ATLAS
Observations of 3I/ATLAS have already yielded valuable insights. Spectroscopic analysis revealed the presence of water, carbon dioxide, and cyanide, common components of comets within our solar system. NASA’s SPHEREx mission detected organic molecules within the comet’s coma in December 2025, further fueling scientific interest. The comet’s composition could offer clues about the building blocks of planetary systems around other stars. As it approached perihelion in October 2025, 3I/ATLAS became active, developing a coma and a tail of gas and dust, as captured by the Gemini North telescope on November 26, 2025.
Credit: ESA/Juice/JANUS
A Long-Term Pursuit
Even as the proposed mission is technically feasible, it’s undeniably ambitious and faces significant hurdles. The long travel time and reliance on future technologies, such as in-orbit refueling of Starship, add to the complexity. While, the potential scientific rewards – a close-up study of an interstellar object – are substantial. As one observer noted, the proposal embodies the spirit of Theodore Roosevelt’s call “to dare mighty things.”
The study of interstellar objects like 3I/ATLAS provides a unique window into exoplanetary systems and the potential for galactic chemistry. Future missions, like ESA’s Comet Interceptor, are being designed with the possibility of intercepting such visitors. For now, scientists will continue to analyze the data gathered from 3I/ATLAS as it continues its journey out of our solar system, leaving behind a trail of scientific discovery.
What comes next will depend on continued technological advancements and the prioritization of interstellar exploration. The data collected from 3I/ATLAS will undoubtedly inform the design and execution of future missions aimed at unraveling the mysteries of objects originating beyond our sun. Share your thoughts on this ambitious mission in the comments below.
