SMRTR Science & EngineeringOct 23, 2025Nautilus

Why Have We Never Sampled an Interstellar Comet?

SMRTR summary

NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft may accidentally collect the first-ever sample from an interstellar comet when it passes through comet 3I/ATLAS's tail between October 30 and November 6. This historic opportunity could provide unprecedented data about materials from another star system, though success depends on solar wind conditions and instrument activation timing.

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