A rare encounter: How Juice came to observe 3I/ATLAS
No matter how much planning goes into space missions, one must always expect the unexpected. But luck favours the prepared. In July 2025, an unexpected visitor entered our Solar System, interstellar object 3I/ATLAS. ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer – Juice – happened to be in the right place, with the right equipment, at the right time to see it.
Published by ESA on 03/23/2026