The roughly 244,000 km/hr speed and documented trajectory shift are now being used to improve prediction systems—ensuring that future visitors can be tracked with greater precision.
A Rare Laboratory From Another Star System
As 31/ATLAS races away from the Sun, the window for observation is closing. Yet the global scientific effort it sparked—combining NASA’s Hubble data, Mars observations, and ground-based telescopes worldwide—has already reshaped understanding.
The combination of interstellar origin, active outgassing, and measurable acceleration makes 31/ATLAS a rare laboratory for testing how material from other star systems behaves under intense solar heating.
For NASA scientists, the message is clear: interstellar visitors may be rare, but when they arrive, they still have the power to surprise.
3I/ATLAS Facts and FAQS – NASA Science
