Unfortunately, there is no way to launch a chemical rocket from Earth that would intercept the new interstellar object 3I/ATLAS before it reaches perihelion on October 29, 2025, since its retrograde motion will bring it up to a velocity of 98 kilometers relative to Earth — a few times faster than our fastest rockets.
Nevertheless, this relative speed is still 3,000 times lower than the speed of light, allowing us to easily reach 3I/ATLAS with a light beam.
Should we send a message to 3I/ATLAS from one of the radio telescopes on Earth?
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