3I/ATLAS | First Images from Mars Orbiter Before NASA Shuts Down

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3I/ATLAS | First Images from Mars Orbiter Before NASA Shuts Down

What impeccable timing! The rare and remarkable moment is here: 3I/ATLAS's pass near Mars. As of October 4, 2025, the object is drifting away from its closest point to Mars but still close enough to matter.

The latest orbital data puts it at around 28 to 30 million kilometres, or about 0.19 astronomical units. Just yesterday, on October 3, it made its closest approach to Mars. Yet, ironically, many NASA websites and feeds have gone silent, affected by a government shutdown at precisely the moment we need real-time updates.

Shutting down key public access during an interstellar flyby feels awfully convenient, especially when researchers around the world are eagerly pressing to follow what might be the most unusual object ever seen in our solar system.

There’s already intense speculation. Some suggest it might be a highly active comet unlike anything we’ve seen. Others propose more exotic ideas, a probe from beyond the stars, a piece of technology, or an alien craft. Whether those theories are plausible or not, the timing of this blackout raises eyebrows.

Fortunately, we may have a lead.

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3I/ATLAS | First Images from Mars Orbiter Before NASA Shuts Down

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