Small Bodies
Small Bodies Faculty
Walter Harris
Associate Professor
Ellen Howell
Senior Research Scientist
Dante Lauretta
Professor, Principal Investigator, OSIRIS-REx
Renu Malhotra
Regents' Professor, Louise Foucar Marshall Science Research Professor
Robert (Bob) McMillan
Associate Research Scientist
Michael Nolan
Senior Research Scientist
Vishnu Reddy
Associate Professor
Timothy Swindle
Director, Department Head
Tom Zega
Associate Professor
Other Researchers Working in Small Bodies
Saverio Cambioni
PTYS Graduate Student
Matthew Chojnacki
Associate Staff Scientist
Eric Christensen
Senior Staff Scientist
Jason Corliss
Senior Staff Scientist
Daniella DellaGiustina
Image Processing Lead Scientist, OSIRIS-REx
Senior Staff Scientist
Nathanial Hendler
PTYS Graduate Student
Carl Hergenrother
Associate Staff Scientist, OSIRIS-REx
Theodore Kareta
PTYS Graduate Student
Steve Larson
Senior Staff Scientist
Cassandra Lejoly
PTYS Graduate Student
Allison McGraw
PTYS Graduate Student
John Noonan
PTYS Graduate Student
Stephen Schwartz
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Benjamin Sharkey
PTYS Graduate Student
Lindsay Slick
PTYS Graduate Student
Alessondra "Sondy" Springmann
PTYS Graduate Student
Harry Tang
PTYS Graduate Student
LPL has long been a leader in researching the small bodies of the solar system. Active research includes:
-
Two world-renowned asteroid survey programs: SPACEWATCH®, directed by Dr. Robert McMillan, claims a number of firsts in hunting for small bodies, many related to being the first to use CCD-scanning routinely; and Catalina Sky Survey, under the direction of Eric Christensen, has led the world in asteroid discoveries each year since 2005. Dr. McMillan has also been part of the Near-Earth Object portion of the WISE spacecraft mission.
-
The first American asteroid sample-return mission. OSIRIS-REx, with Professor Dante Lauretta as the Principal Investigator, was launched in 2016, arrived at asteroid Bennu in 2018, and will being its return to Earth in 2021.
-
Several groups active in meteorite research, led by professors Dante Lauretta, Tim Swindle, and Tom Zega.
-
Research into the orbital evolution of the main asteroid belt and the Kuiper Belt, led by Regents' Professor Renu Malhotra.
-
LPL also has a long history of comet research, which continues with new and ongoing studies by Associate Professor Walter Harris and Professor Emeritus Uwe Fink.
