A "captivating, behind-the-scenes 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 (Sara Seager).
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.
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In The Asteroid Hunter, Dante Lauretta tells the story of a space mission designed to bring back a handful of dirt from the dawn of the Solar System. The book has much of the pacing and suspense of a good thriller. Lauretta has to run the gauntlet of endless NASA reviews with many rejections, the death of his mentor and original leader of the project, and the challenge of solving a thicket of technical challenges. It takes as long to see a NASA space mission from concept to conclusion as it does to raise a child and Lauretta experiences a scientific version of the highs and lows of parenting. The final chapter will not be written until labs around the world have scrutinized the OSIRIS-REx samples, but The Asteroid Hunter makes it clear to a general audience why scientists spend years on projects where success is never guaranteed. The thrill of learning about our origins and the camaraderie of the mission team keeps them going.
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Chris Impey, Distinguished Professor of Astronomy, University of Arizona and author of How It Began: A Time-Traveler's Guide to the Universe