Voyager 1 Attempted to Intercept 3I/ATLAS — Then This Happened…

 

A Cosmic Encounter That Never Was

In the emptiness of interstellar space, Voyager 1 travels on alone over 15 billion miles from home. Launched in 1977, the spacecraft traveled beyond the planets long ago, but occasionally astronomers ask themselves: Might Voyager ever encounter something new out there?

That question cropped up again in 2020, when astronomers found 3I/ATLAS — the third confirmed interstellar object to travel through our solar system. It raised a tantalizing question: could Voyager 1 catch this cosmic visitor?

The Interstellar Visitor: 3I/ATLAS

3I/ATLAS was initially detected by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) survey. Comets and asteroids that originated in our own solar system are not like this one, which originated deep in interstellar space. Tumbling along at tens of kilometers per second, it followed a hyperbolic trajectory — one that indicated it wasn't gravitationally bound to the Sun and would never come back.

With only two previously confirmed interstellar objects prior to it (ʻOumuamua and 2I/Borisov), 3I/ATLAS was a unique chance to catch a glimpse of the physics and chemistry of another star system.

Why Voyager 1 Came to Mind

Voyager 1 is humanity's most distant machine, bearing the iconic Golden Record. But beyond that, it's already gone, journeying through the same interstellar medium that 3I/ATLAS just navigated.

On paper, this was the ideal opportunity: could we redirect Voyager to pursue this alien comet? Scientists and space enthusiasts crunched numbers.

The Harsh Reality of Space Mechanics

The issue wasn't distance — it was velocity. 3I/ATLAS was traveling on a path and speed that dwarfs Voyager's capabilities. Even with an early launch and optimum positioning, Voyager didn't have the propulsion to change course or speed up to catch up.

By the time the math was finished, it was obvious: the spacecraft would not be able to come within reach of the visitor. The gap was too great, the laws of physics too pitiless.

What Actually Happened

Voyager 1 remained on its course, a quiet envoy disappearing further from home. 3I/ATLAS traveled through the solar system, grew dim, and disappeared forever into the black.

But the exercise wasn't for nothing. It demonstrated just how thrilling interstellar objects are and how humanity now considers beyond its own solar backyard. It also reignited interest in missions such as Comet Interceptor and planned Interstellar Probe, which would travel at a speed to be able to examine the next visitor.

The Bigger Picture

Voyager 1 did not catch 3I/ATLAS, but its long-term mission continues to set the vision for the way we imagine. It shows us that although technology in the here and now cannot always intercept cosmic possibilities, simply asking "what if?" sparks innovation.

One day there will be a spacecraft designed with a purpose to intercept an interstellar visitor. In the meantime, Voyager continues on its way — not to 3I/ATLAS, but to the unknown, spreading the message of humanity into the infinite darkness.