AstroForge Welcomes Dr. Dante Lauretta as Strategic Advisor

AstroForge is proud to announce that Dr. Dante Lauretta, Principal Investigator of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, has joined the company as a strategic advisor.

Dr. Lauretta, a Professor of Planetary Science and Cosmochemistry at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, has spent his career at the forefront of asteroid science and planetary exploration. As the Principal Investigator of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, he led the team that successfully collected and returned a sample from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu—marking one of the most significant achievements in modern space exploration.

His groundbreaking work has deepened humanity’s understanding of the origins of the solar system, the role of asteroids in delivering the building blocks of life, and the potential hazards they pose to Earth. Under his leadership, OSIRIS-REx not only advanced planetary science but also provided vital insights into the composition of asteroids—knowledge that will directly inform the development of sustainable asteroid resource utilization.

By joining AstroForge as an advisor, Dr. Lauretta brings his decades of experience in mission leadership, spacecraft operations, and planetary materials science to the company’s bold vision of harvesting resources from near-Earth asteroids. His guidance will be instrumental in refining AstroForge’s approach to mission planning, target selection, and technology development as the company works to commercialize extraterrestrial resources.

“The best minds in science and engineering are helping AstroForge undertake one of the hardest endeavors in space. Dr. Lauretta led OSIRIS-REx as a scientific mission, and now his expertise will help us commercialize this work. His unparalleled knowledge in asteroid science and exploration aligns perfectly with our mission to make space resources accessible. Having the leader of the OSIRIS-REx mission advising our efforts is a tremendous validation of our approach,"noted Matt, CEO of AstroForge.

Dr. Lauretta added: “Asteroids are time capsules of the early solar system and offer both scientific treasures and practical resources. I’m excited to collaborate with AstroForge as they take on the challenge of turning space science into a space industry. Together, we can open up a new frontier in space exploration.”

With Dr. Lauretta’s advisory role, AstroForge continues to build a world-class team of experts dedicated to pioneering the future of space resources and advancing humanity’s reach beyond Earth.