A groundbreaking study suggests that we now possess the capabilities to fly a spacecraft to investigate an interstellar object traversing our solar system, specifically comet 3I/ATLAS. This research, conducted by scientists at the Southwest Research Institute (SWRI), reveals that flyby reconnaissance of interstellar objects is not only feasible but also affordable.
According to Matthew Freeman, the project manager and director of space instrumentation at SWRI, the trajectory of 3I/ATLAS falls within an interceptable range for the mission they have designed. However, the challenge lies in placing a probe into orbit around such fast-moving objects, as they travel on hyperbolic trajectories, entering and exiting our solar system instead of orbiting the sun.
While the SWRI's mission proposal does not guarantee funding from NASA or any other organization, it emphasizes the importance of preparing for future opportunities to study comets from other solar systems without leaving our own neighborhood.
Executing flybys of interstellar objects like 3I/ATLAS would provide invaluable insights into their composition, structure, and properties. Alan Stern, SWRI associate vice president and leader of the study project, highlights that such investigations could significantly enhance our understanding of solid body formation processes in various star systems. Stern is renowned for his role as the principal investigator of NASA's New Horizons mission, which made history in 2015 by flying by Pluto and continuing its exploration to other small bodies in the Kuiper Belt.
Comet 3I/ATLAS is notable as the third confirmed interstellar object to pass through our solar system, following the discoveries of 1I/'Oumuamua in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019. The “I” in their names denotes “interstellar,” while the preceding numbers reflect their order of discovery. Although spotting interstellar visitors has proven difficult, advancements in technology are anticipated to enhance our detection capabilities.
SWRI mentions that new all-sky surveyors, such as the National Science Foundation’s Vera C. Rubin Observatory, are expected to increase the frequency of interstellar finds within the next decade. The organization reports that numerous interstellar objects pass within Earth’s orbit annually, while an estimated 10,000 approach the orbit of Neptune, which is about 30 times farther from the sun than Earth.
Using advanced software, SWRI simulated a representative population of interstellar objects and calculated the energy required for a spacecraft to leave Earth and approach each one. The study found that not only are flybys feasible, but they often require less launch and in-flight velocity change resources compared to many other solar system missions. While the specifics regarding mission costs remain undisclosed, the findings suggest that a mission concept could eventually be proposed to NASA.
A future spacecraft could be designed with a scientific agenda aimed at examining the physical properties of interstellar bodies to gain insights into their formation and evolution. Another area of investigation could involve analyzing the coma—the loose exosphere of material sublimating from interstellar comets as they near the sun's heat and pressure.
The recent passage of 3I/ATLAS has further solidified the argument for visiting interstellar objects. Mark Tapely, an orbital mechanics specialist at SWRI, emphasized that the necessary technologies and launch performance for such missions are already within our reach, aligning with missions that NASA has previously conducted.
