S8 Ep884: Dante Lauretta details the complex scientific objectives that formed the OSIRIS-REx mission name: Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, and Regolith Explorer. He reflects on the mythological significance of Osiris as both a
S8 Ep884: Dante Lauretta details the complex scientific objectives that formed the OSIRIS-REx mission name: Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, and Regolith Explorer. He reflects on the mythological significance of Osiris as both a  
Podcast: The John Batchelor Show
Published On: Mon May 18 2026
Description: Dante Lauretta details the complex scientific objectives that formed the OSIRIS-REx mission name: Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, and Regolith Explorer. He reflects on the mythological significance of Osiris as both a bringer of life and a harbinger of death, mirroring the nature of asteroids. The mission faced a major turning point when Mike Drake passed away shortly after NASA's 2011 selection, leaving Lauretta to lead as the designated "risk mitigation." Despite rigorous technical reviews in 2014 that challenged their landing design, the team convinced NASA of their cost-credibility and engineering resilience. (2/4)JANUARY 1951