NASA has implemented a global planetary protection protocol after observing the ‘inexplicable’ behaviour of comet 3I/ATLAS. NASA has quietly activated its planetary defence system following the discovery of an unusual phenomenon in the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, discovered in July 2025. The object, originating from outside the solar system, has exhibited behaviour that astronomers have classified as ‘inexplicable’, prompting the agency to implement a worldwide monitoring protocol.
Without public statements or press conferences, NASA activated the so-called IAWN Comet Astrometry Campaign, an international operation that will run from 27 November 2025 to 27 January 2026 with the aim of tracking every movement of 3I/ATLAS. You may find this interesting Goodbye, USA, Russia and China: two Latin American countries are poised to dominate the world economy and international alliances forever opens in a new window You may find this interesting The discovery of the century: a site where, 2,000 metres below the surface, there are dozens of tonnes of gold belonging to a single province opens in a new window
Reasons for NASA’s planetary defence activation due to comet 3I/ATLAS
According to the newspaper, this is the first case in history in which an interstellar object has been included in the campaign coordinated by the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN), an organisation that is activated exclusively in the event of a potential threat to Earth. According to the statement, the operation aims to improve global capabilities for detecting celestial bodies and prepare the planet for possible collisions. IAWN officials acknowledged that 3I/ATLAS presents ‘unique problems’ for calculating its trajectory, as its movement does not correspond to the usual patterns of known comets.
Discover the “anti-tail” of comet 3I/ATLAS and its significance
One of the aspects that most concerns astronomers is its “anti-tail”, a stream of particles directed towards the Sun, contrary to the behaviour observed in ordinary comets. This phenomenon is indicative of atypical behaviour, which has aroused significant interest in the international scientific community, stimulating research aimed at understanding the implications of this phenomenon for the study of comets and their interaction with the solar environment. In future research, an attempt will be made to better predict what can be expected from this phenomenon.
Astrometric campaign: what is it and why is it causing concern?
During the observation period, telescopes and tracking systems around the world will focus their attention on comet 3I/ATLAS with the aim of accurately determining its location, composition and orbital evolution. Although NASA has classified this operation as a simple exercise in scientific cooperation, the institutional silence that accompanied the launch of the campaign has generated speculation on social media and specialised forums. Users of platform X (formerly Twitter) are wondering whether the agency is concealing information about a possible real threat to Earth.
