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A government shutdown at the exact moment of 3I/Atlas's closest approach to Mars and the silence of space agencies fuel theories about what could be the third interstellar visitor to our Solar System.
The interstellar object 3I/Atlas continues its journey through our Solar System, but its passage has been marked by a series of events that have generated more questions than answers. On the day October 3, when the object made its closest approach to Mars, the NASA has halted its operations, alleging a shutdown due to lack of government funding. The coincidence, pointed out by sources such as the channel Unknown Facts, sparked an intense online debate: were we facing a simple bureaucratic problem or something much bigger?
The lack of real-time data and the subsequent disclosure of unconfirmed images by the American space agency only intensified speculation. While the world awaited detailed recordings of the visitor, the main observation window from Mars was compromised. Now, as the object moves away and prepares to pass behind the Sun, the scientific community and space enthusiasts are wondering what space agencies really know about the 3I/Atlas.
An unusual visitor to the Solar System
Discovered in July 2025 by the ATLAS telescope, the 3I/Atlas was quickly identified as the third interstellar object to visit our system, following in the footsteps of 'Oumuamua and Borisov. However, from the beginning, its characteristics surprised scientists. Its size, speed and composition were shown to be different of everything that had already been observed in known comets, feeding the hypothesis that it might not be a natural celestial body.
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The theory gained strength with the scientist's statements Avi Loeb, known for advocating the existence of extraterrestrial life. Loeb suggested that the 3I/Atlas could be a artificial object, sent to observe us. According to him, a crucial indicator would be the absence of a cometary tail —the trail of gas and dust left by comets as they approach the Sun. Although later observations identified a tail, temporarily settling the debate, new evidence would put Loeb's hypothesis back at the center of the debate.
The silence of NASA at the crucial moment
The high point of the controversy occurred on October 3. On this date, the 3I/Atlas reached its closest approach to Mars, coming within just 30 million kilometers of the Red Planet. It was the perfect opportunity to use Martian equipment, such as the NavCam aboard the Perseverance rover, to capture unprecedented, detailed images. Global anticipation was immense, but it was unexpectedly dashed.
Exactly on the day of the approach, NASA's website displayed a message stating that, “Due to a lack of funding from the federal government, NASA is not updating this website”. Officially, the agency suffered a “shutdown,” a funding freeze that halted several projects. However, as highlighted by the Unknown Facts, the timing of this strike was, to say the least, suspicious, leading many to question whether the official justification was the full story.
Mysterious Images and Avi Loeb's Analysis
Days after the shutdown began, NASA released two photos taken by NavCam on Mars. The images had been scheduled in advance and were therefore taken even during the shutdown. The most important detail, however, is that The agency never confirmed that the bright object recorded in the photos was, in fact, 3I/Atlas. The uncertainty divided experts: some claimed it was just one of Mars' moons, while others assured it was the interstellar visitor.
It was in this scenario that Avi Loeb spoke out again. Based on calculations that the images actually showed the 3I/Atlas, he came to an alarming conclusion: the object would have a projected length of approximately 50.000 km and, crucially, did not present any visible cometary tail in the recordThis analysis, if correct, not only revived the theory of the artificial object, but also called into question the nature of what we are observing.
Where are the other space agencies?
The controversy is not limited to NASA. initial silence from other space powers also drew attention. Why didn't the European Space Agency (ESA), the Chinese agency (CNSA), or the Japanese agency (JAXA) immediately release their own observations? China's lack of information, in particular, was notable, as it would have been the perfect opportunity to take the lead in the space race while the US was paralyzed.
Sources like Unknown Facts explore two hypotheses for this lack of communication. The first is that all agencies noticed something anomalous and are preparing a coordinated and unified response to the world. The second, more speculative, suggests a silence agreementIn the face of a potential first contact, geopolitical rivalries such as the dispute between China and the United States would take a back seat in favor of a unified global strategy.
What to expect in the coming days?
As the debate continues, the 3I/Atlas follows its trajectory and will be hidden behind the Sun between the days 21 29 and October, when it will be visible to us again. The ESA, breaking its initial silence, released images captured by Martian probes on October 14th, but full analysis of the data will still take time. When asked about the general delay in releasing information, Avi Loeb quipped, stating that long delays are not a characteristic of "alien intelligence" but rather of "human stupidity on Earth."
The big question remains: the silence and coincidences surrounding the 3I/Atlas Are these the result of bureaucracy, or is there something else we haven't been told? Do you believe the official version, or do you suspect information is being hidden? Leave your opinion in the comments; we'd love to hear your thoughts on this space mystery.
It took them 17 years and US$10 billion to build the James Web, and the Hubble from the 90s takes better pictures, either it's defective or they're hiding something!
It's hard to understand that the James Webb Space Telescope, the most advanced ever built, and the Hubble Space Telescope take spectacular images of distant galaxies and can't even take a good image of the 3i/Atlas.
If you are evil, bye bye guys.