3I/ATLAS, discovered on July 1, 2025, became the third known interstellar object to visit the Solar System.
The Chinese orbital spacecraft of the Tianwen-1 mission successfully observed the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS using its high-resolution camera. This was reported by the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
At the time of observation, the spacecraft was approximately 30 million kilometers away from the object, marking one of the closest approaches to an interstellar body in the history of space exploration. The data obtained and processed by the ground system showed clear cometary characteristics of the object.
This experiment marks an important milestone in the extended program of Tianwen-1 and serves as valuable technical experience for preparing the Tianwen-2 mission, launched in May with the aim of collecting samples from a near-Earth asteroid and studying a main-belt comet.
The object 3I/ATLAS, discovered on July 1, 2025, became the third known interstellar object to visit the Solar System.
Scientists believe that this object likely formed in the vicinity of ancient stars near the center of the Milky Way, with its age estimated to be between three and 11 billion years — possibly exceeding the age of the Solar System itself. This makes 3I/ATLAS a unique specimen for studying the composition and evolution of exoplanets, as well as the early history of stars, endowing it with exceptional scientific value.
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