Story perspectives

ESA Boosts Comet Tracking Accuracy Tenfold with Mars Data

11/14/2025

23 5

Summary

Story summary

The European Space Agency (ESA) improved trajectory prediction for interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS (discovered July 1, 2025) using data from the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter around Mars, achieving tenfold greater accuracy than Earth-based observations.
ESA teams enabled the first astrometric measurements from a spacecraft orbiting another planet to be accepted by the Minor Planet Center.
The object poses no threat, and ESA plans future missions Neomir and Comet Interceptor to boost detection.

1 of 1

Story summary

The European Space Agency (ESA) improved trajectory prediction for interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS (discovered July 1, 2025) using data from the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter around Mars, achieving tenfold greater accuracy than Earth-based observations.
ESA teams enabled the first astrometric measurements from a spacecraft orbiting another planet to be accepted by the Minor Planet Center.
The object poses no threat, and ESA plans future missions Neomir and Comet Interceptor to boost detection.