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FEATURED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, NPR’S SCIENCE FRIDAY, THE WASHINGTON POST, AND SCIENCE MAGAZINE
A “brilliant account of a 21st century real-life fantasy” (Sir Brian May) of space exploration and a lesson in fragility in the quest to return an asteroid sample and unlock the mystery of formation of life on earth, braided with the remarkable life story of the OSIRIS-REx mission 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, r
