The United Nations has confirmed that comet 3I/ATLAS is the subject of an official planetary-defence exercise, part of the 8th International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) drill. The campaign, running from November 27, 2025, to January 27, 2026, tests global readiness for potential Near-Earth Object threats.
Discovered on July 1, 2025, by Chile's ATLAS telescope, 3I/ATLAS is only the third interstellar comet confirmed to pass through the Solar System. While it poses no threat (its closest approach will be 270 million kilometres from Earth on December 19) the comet's unique trajectory and active cometary features make it an ideal target for astrometric exercises.
The campaign involves IAWN, the Space Mission Planning Advisory Group (SMPAG), and the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), aiming to refine observation techniques, improve orbit predictions, and strengthen international coordination in planetary defence.