A gripping and revelatory first-hand account of NASA’s historic OSIRIS-REx mission to return an asteroid sample and unlock the mystery of formation on life on earth braided with the remarkable life story of the mission’s leader, Dr. Dante Lauretta.
On September 11, 1999, humanity made a monumental discovery in the vastness of space. Scientists uncovered an asteroid of immense scientific importance—a colossal celestial entity. As massive as an aircraft carrier and towering as high as the iconic Empire State Building, this cosmic titan was later named Bennu. Remarkable for much more than its size, Bennu belonged to a rare breed of asteroids capable of revealing the essence of life itself. But just as Bennu became a beacon of promise, researchers identified a grave danger. Hurtling through space, it threatens to collide with our planet on September 24, 2182.
Leading the expedition was Dr. Dante Lauretta, the Principal Investigator of NASA’s audacious OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission. Tasked with unraveling Bennu’s mysteries, his team embarked on a daring quest to retrieve a precious sample from the asteroid’s surface — one that held the potential to not only unlock the secrets of life’s origins but also to avert an unprecedented catastrophe.
A tale of destiny and danger, The Asteroid Hunter chronicles the high-stakes mission firsthand, narrated by Dr. Lauretta. It offers readers an intimate glimpse into the riveting exploits of the mission and Dr. Lauretta’s wild, winding personal journey to Bennu and back. Peeling back the curtain on the wonders of the cosmos, this enthralling account promises a rare glimpse into the tightly woven fabric of scientific exploration, where technical precision converges with humanity’s profound curiosity and indominable spirit.
Review
The title of the book refers not only to the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return mission but also to Dr. Dante Lauretta who shepherded the amazing feat into being. Though this is not the first successful trip to a space body which collected and then brought back samples to Earth (the Japanese Space Agency did it [twice] first), it’s fascinating to read about and the fact that there are so many dedicated – and brilliant – people who spend years of their lives to make these things happen is, to me, heartening.
We didn’t just survive; we thrived, adapting and innovating to not just meet but exceed our goals. This fortitude, this innate human grit, has been a constant ally throughout my career, affirming that the quest for enlightenment is worth every tribulation.
Another cardinal lesson has been the profound impact of collaboration. I’ve stood shoulder to shoulder with some of the world’s most brilliant minds, realizing that our most awe-inspiring accomplishments are born from unity and shared fervor. The abysses of space appear less impenetrable when we pool our resources and talents toward a mutual aim.
Dante Lauretta did not have the easiest of childhoods being raised along with his two younger brothers by a single mother after she kicked their alcoholic father out. Determination got him into college but a chance ad he saw in a newspaper after a long shift of flipping hashbrowns and cooking eggs for hung-over students shaped his destiny. It would start him on the road to getting his PhD, making professional connections and being the right person, at the right time, in the right place to begin working on a proposal for NASA – to land a spacecraft on an asteroid and scoop up a sample of pristine ancient solar system to be brought back to Earth.
Oh, if only it were that easy. Their proposal is honed, rejected, honed and crafted, and rejected, then honed, polished, crafted and burnished to a shine and … accepted. Sort of … as the reality has to meet the expectations of the concept before NASA will fully release the (gulp) rest of the billion dollar cost. A world wide group of dedicated STEM people get to work, dive into the problems, solve the problems, test more stuff, solve those problems, and finally after years of work, have a spacecraft ready to be rocketed into space. As some of the team awaited this launch in Cape Canaveral they felt the explosion of the SpaceX Falcon 9. But the Atlas rocket got OSIRIS-REx on its way.
Nails are bitten, heart attacks averted, and sighs of relief are heaved as Bennu (as the asteroid is now called in honor of an ancient Egyptian god) serves up some surprises and many of the team (along with some assistance from Brian May) go into overdrive to find that perfect spot for it to touch-grab a sample-and-go. Then comes Covid. Even though I knew the outcome, I was holding my breath reading about the final moments of suspense the team endured as the spacecraft (yes!) made the final calculations and decision to land.
After delivering it’s sample capsule back to Earth, the spacecraft has now pivoted to a new mission OSIRIS-APEX to study another asteroid. I’ve watched a few youtube videos and know that the mission far exceeded their promise to NASA to bring back 2 ounces of asteroid (if you have a kitchen scale, go measure how little that actually is). Along with that Holy Grail, tons of new information has been gathered that will probably be the basis of many future PhDs. I salute the thousands of people worldwide who labored for years to make this happen and who unlocked some of the secrets of life’s origins in the solar system. B
~Jayne
“More than two hundred undergraduate and graduate students have contributed to this grand endeavor. Their youthful exuberance fueled our mission, reaffirming the importance of training the next cadre of cosmic explorers. More than a mission, OSIRIS-APEX served as a platform for continuous learning and scientific continuity.
So, as we face the vast, uncharted expanses of space, I’m reminded that our mission—our journey—is not just scientific. It’s a deeply emotional and human endeavor. We are not just seeking to understand the universe; we are paving the way for future explorers to ask bigger questions, seek bolder answers, and touch the cosmic beyond.”
