The European Space Agency (ESA) has made an unusual observation of comet 3I/ATLAS in a “test case” for future planetary defense efforts. Using data collected from a Mars-orbiting satellite, researchers have learned more about the interstellar object’s path through our solar system, improving its predicted location with a 10-fold jump in accuracy. First discovered on July 1, the comet made its closest approach to the sun on Wednesday October 29, with it expected to become visible from Earth