Hotline Feature – Prof. Michael Seigel: Interstellar Comets, Space Junk Rescue, and the Golden Age of Private Spaceflight

With Dave out, Coop welcomes Professor Michael Seigel of Penn State for a deep dive into space news. Seigel explains why the newly observed 3I Atlas qualifies as a true interstellar comet, what its chemical signatures reveal, and why it’s not an alien probe. They explore the scientific dream of retrieving samples from such objects, then turn to the fading Swift Observatory, which is slowly falling from orbit — and how a private-sector rescue mission could save it. The conversation highlights the rapid growth of commercial spaceflight and why we may be living in a modern space golden age.