SETI Live: Sampling 3I/ATLAS?!

Join us for a live, in-depth conversation as communications specialist Beth Johnson chats with Dr. Cynthia Phillips, Europa Clipper Project Staff Scientist and Science Communications Lead (JPL), about a fascinating - and time-sensitive - possibility: can we use our current deep-space missions to sample the plasma tail of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS?

In this livestream, we’ll dig into the recent analysis that suggests both Europa Clipper and Hera might cross through 3I/ATLAS’s ion tail between late October and early November 2025.

Key topics we’ll cover:

• What the new study shows about alignment between 3I/ATLAS, Europa Clipper, and Hera, and why the predicted “tail-crossing” window matters.
• What scientists hope to observe: ion signatures, magnetic field “draping,” solar-wind interactions - and what that can tell us about an interstellar comet’s plasma environment.
• The differences between the two spacecraft: Europa Clipper has relevant instruments to detect charged particles and magnetic field changes; Hera, while also crossing the tail, lacks those capabilities.
• What this all might mean for our understanding of interstellar objects and comets - and whether we could, in effect, “sample” interstellar material using existing hardware.

This could be the first time humanity has a chance to directly sample-or at least detect-the plasma tail of an interstellar comet using active spacecraft. It’s a rare alignment of orbital mechanics, comet trajectory, and operational missions: a cosmic coincidence offering a unique scientific opportunity. Did it succeed? Find out in this exciting SETI Live interview!

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