Headline: No, That “Manhattan‑Sized Alien Spaceship” Isn’t Coming for Us — It’s an Interstellar Comet, and Congress Wants NASA’s Photos
Short answer: It’s not an alien spaceship and it’s not coming dangerously close to Earth. It’s a comet from another star system, 3I/ATLAS — and yes, a Florida congresswoman did ask NASA to release Mars‑orbiter images. The real story is stranger, quieter, and more interesting than the headlines suggest.
The most interesting correction up front
- The object’s motion does not defy gravity. Its rising speed is exactly what you expect as it falls toward the Sun. What’s new — and scientifically juicy — are hints of unusual chemistry and color, plus a rare flyby past Mars where multiple orbiters tried to catch it in the act.
What we verified vs. what needs more digging
- Verified
- Rep. Anna Paulina Luna posted a letter on Nov 3, 2025, asking NASA to release specific Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter/HiRISE images from Oct 2–3 and “supplementary data” from other missions. The images haven’t been publicly posted yet. Source: Economic Times summary of her letter; NASA lists MRO among assets watching 3I/ATLAS. https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/us/3i/atlas-trump-aligned-us-lawmaker-seeks-answers-from-nasa-on-mysterious-interstellar-visitor-comet/amp_articleshow/125068184.cms
- 3I/ATLAS passed about 30 million km from Mars on Oct 3, 2025. ESA’s orbiters observed it; ESA released frames where it appears as a faint moving dot. https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Comet_3I_ATLAS_frequently_asked_questions https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2025/10/ExoMars_Trace_Gas_Orbiter_observes_comet_3I_ATLAS_GIF
- It’s an interstellar comet and poses no threat to Earth; closest approach to Earth is around Dec 19, 2025 at about 1.8 AU (~270 million km). NASA classifies it as a comet, not a spacecraft. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/3i-atlas/
- Corrections to viral claims
- “Alien spaceship,” “defying gravity,” “hurtling toward Earth” — all misleading or false. The observed speeds are expected under the Sun’s gravity, and best orbit fits through late September show little to no measurable non‑gravitational acceleration. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/3i-atlas/
- Size hype (“Manhattan‑sized,” “12‑mile craft”) is not backed by evidence. Hubble data constrain the nucleus to as small as ~0.44 km and no larger than ~5.6 km; one preprint suggests ~11 km — far from 12 miles and not “Manhattan‑sized.” https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/3i-atlas/
- Still studying
- Color and chemistry. A preprint reports 3I/ATLAS looked distinctly bluer than the Sun near perihelion — consistent with strong gas emission, not alien tech. https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.25035
- Gas is not “missing.” Multiple telescopes have already detected classic comet gases, including OH (from water) and a CO2‑dominated coma, confirming its cometary nature. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/3i-atlas/ JWST summary: https://arxivlens.com/paperview/details/jwst-detection-of-a-carbon-dioxide-dominated-gas-coma-surrounding-interstellar-object-3i-atlas-8843-c7a1dd9f
How the rumor took off — and what our reporting found The spark was real: a member of Congress asked for NASA’s unreleased Mars images. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s letter to acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy specifically cited the HiRISE camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and requested supporting data from Perseverance and other missions that might have seen “unusual activity” around the Oct 3 Mars flyby. That request tapped into a public mood primed by earlier “interstellar visitor” stories (think ‘Oumuamua) — and the internet filled in the gaps with the word “spaceship.”
We followed the paper trail
- We checked NASA’s 3I/ATLAS page: it labels the object a comet, notes high speeds are expected, and says it won’t come near Earth. No emergency, no dystopian arc. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/3i-atlas/
- We reviewed ESA’s Mars observations: the comet is a dim point of light — exactly what a small, faraway comet looks like from Mars orbit. https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2025/10/ExoMars_Trace_Gas_Orbiter_observes_comet_3I_ATLAS_GIF
- We cross‑checked Luna’s request via multiple outlets summarizing her posted letter. The images she asked for (Oct 2–3) are plausible, but simply haven’t been posted yet. https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/us/3i/atlas-trump-aligned-us-lawmaker-seeks-answers-from-nasa-on-mysterious-interstellar-visitor-comet/amp_articleshow/125068184.cms
So what is 3I/ATLAS, really? Think of it as a snowball from another star system. It’s only the third interstellar object spotted passing through our neighborhood (after ‘Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov). It likely spent eons in deep space before our Sun’s gravity tugged it in. Discovery was announced in July 2025 by the ATLAS survey. https://www.reuters.com/science/newly-spotted-comet-is-third-interstellar-object-seen-our-solar-system-2025-07-03/
About that “extra kick” and “law‑defying” motion Comets speed up as they fall toward the Sun — basic orbital mechanics. Some comets also feel tiny pushes from jets of gas as their ices vaporize, which can tweak their paths a bit. But the best current orbit solutions for 3I/ATLAS through late September put a tight upper limit on any such non‑gravitational acceleration. Translation: any “kick” so far is small enough to sit comfortably within known physics. No law‑breaking required. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/3i-atlas/
Size: not a city, not a starship The nucleus is probably somewhere between a few hundred meters and a few kilometers wide.
- Hubble’s upper limit: ≤5.6 km; lower estimates go down to ~0.44 km.
- A Rubin Observatory preprint suggests ~11 km (~7 miles). There’s no credible measurement supporting “12 miles” across — and calling it “Manhattan‑sized” is a stretch by any measure. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/3i-atlas/
Blue tint and odd chemistry — intriguing, not extraterrestrial engines A recent preprint notes the comet appeared bluer than the Sun near perihelion, which typically means we’re seeing more gas emission relative to dust — a known, natural comet behavior. Meanwhile, multiple instruments have detected water‑related OH and a coma rich in CO2, which are textbook comet signatures. That undercuts claims that astronomers are “still waiting” for gas; they aren’t. These compositional quirks are a lab for learning how other star systems build comets — not proof of technology.
- Blue appearance near perihelion: https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.25035
- Cometary gas detections: https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/3i-atlas/
- JWST CO2‑dominated coma report (preprint summary): https://arxivlens.com/paperview/details/jwst-detection-of-a-carbon-dioxide-dominated-gas-coma-surrounding-interstellar-object-3i-atlas-8843-c7a1dd9f
Where the story stands now
- True
- 3I/ATLAS is a real interstellar comet.
- It skimmed past Mars at ~30 million km on Oct 3, 2025; ESA released a faint‑dot movie from orbit.
- Rep. Luna requested NASA’s MRO/HiRISE images from Oct 2–3 and other mission data.
- The comet’s brightness and color changed near perihelion.
- Misleading or false
- It is not an “alien spaceship.”
- It is not on a dangerous path toward Earth; closest approach is ~1.8 AU.
- Its speed increase does not “defy” gravity; any extra push from outgassing so far appears small.
- Claims of a “12‑mile” object aren’t supported by leading measurements.
What’s uncertain — and worth watching
- Final size and shape: better constraints may come as the coma thins and models improve.
- Detailed chemistry: those odd ratios (like strong CO2) could reveal how comets form in other systems.
- The missing Mars images: if and when NASA posts HiRISE data, they’ll be scientifically modest visuals but valuable for cross‑checks with ESA.
Our take on the “release the photos” push Transparency is healthy. Publishing the MRO/HiRISE frames — even if they show a tiny moving speck like ESA’s — would help shut down conspiracy talk and let researchers compare instruments. Public curiosity is justified; the “alien spaceship” framing isn’t.
How to follow reliable updates
- NASA’s 3I/ATLAS page (status, safety, science): https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/3i-atlas/
- ESA’s FAQ and image releases: https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Comet_3I_ATLAS_frequently_asked_questions
- For orbit details (when available), JPL Horizons and mission pages typically provide the latest ephemerides.
Bottom line
- Curiosity: warranted. Panic: not.
- The comet is real, interstellar, and scientifically exciting.
- The “alien spaceship” label is a tabloid shortcut that falls apart under the data.
- Releasing the Mars images would be good for science — and for public trust.