According to reports, NASA quietly activated planetary defense systems as the object began exhibiting unusual signs, including unexpected acceleration and an anti-tail pointing toward the Sun.
They have formally initiated a major, coordinated international monitoring and study campaign that falls under their Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO).
The current activity is focused on the rare interstellar object, Comet 3I/ATLAS.
🛰️ The Status: “Activated” Monitoring & Study
NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) operates on a standing Strategy and Action Plan for all Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). The current focus on 3I/ATLAS is often described by officials and the media as being in “activated implementation mode” for the following reasons:
1. International Warning Network Campaign
The interstellar object 3I/ATLAS has been added to the monitoring list of the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN), a UN-endorsed, NASA-backed global coalition.
This has triggered a formal, intensive Comet Astrometry Campaign (scheduled from late November 2025 to January 2026) involving observatories worldwide. This is the first time an interstellar object has been targeted in such a major, coordinated defense-type exercise.
2. Precautionary Measure & Training
The object currently poses NO threat to Earth. NASA has repeatedly confirmed that 3I/ATLAS will remain far away, with its closest approach (in December 2025) being about 170 million miles (270 million kilometers).
The primary stated purpose of the campaign is scientific study and planetary defense training, specifically to refine techniques for tracking objects that behave unusually, like this comet.
3. Unusual Features
The heightened scrutiny is due to the comet’s unusual behavior, including an unexpected chemical signature (nickel without measurable iron) and an erratic trajectory that some (most notably Harvard scientist Dr. Avi Loeb) have suggested could be indicative of an artificial object rather than a natural comet.
In short: NASA’s permanent Planetary Defense infrastructure is actively focused on this object, using it as a high-value real-world exercise, but there is no imminent danger to the planet.
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