A massive, mysterious object is hurtling through our solar system, and it has caught the attention of the highest levels of the US government. The interstellar comet, known as 3I/ATLAS, is being monitored by federal personnel, multiple officials told DefenseScoop on Tuesday.
This heightened scrutiny is happening despite a major US government shutdown that has officially shuttered organisations like NASA. While NASA's public-facing operations are closed, essential personnel are still tracking 3I/ATLAS because its anomalous nature—and the high-level congressional interest it has generated—are deemed significant.
