Interstellar comets could be studied using existing technology
Scientists are pitching missions to catch and study interstellar comets—basically, visitors from other solar systems—using rockets and instruments we already have.
The plan is to send spacecraft to intercept objects like 3I/ATLAS, so we can actually sample material that didn't come from our own neighborhood in space.
Surprisingly, these missions would need less fuel and speed than many regular solar system trips.
International collaboration for comet tracking and exploration
Exploring these comets could reveal what other star systems are made of and how they formed.
Teams from around the world—including astronomers using observatories in Hawaii, Chile, and Australia—are already tracking these rare objects together.
Europe's Comet Interceptor mission (set for 2029) shows how international partnerships make ambitious space projects possible, spreading out costs and sharing expertise for a shot at groundbreaking discoveries.