In 2019, one rockstar helped NASA study asteroid Bennu – his 3D images revealed a dangerous rubble-filled world. A look at Queen's Brian May's amazing educational qualifications

One rock icon not only wowed rock enthusiasts with his talent as an unparalleled guitarist, but he also helped NASA land on an asteroid and later transformed 157 acres of private land into a haven for animals and greenery. We are, of course, talking about none other than Brian May, lead guitarist of the rock band Queen, which he founded along with Freddie Mercury. An astrophysicist, Brian holds a degree in physics and infrared astronomy from Imperial College; he later also obtained a PhD in zodiacal dust. In 2015, he worked on NASA’s New Horizons mission, which made history with its flyby of Pluto.

He also told National Geographic how he worked with NASA’s OSIRIS-REx team and helped send a spacecraft to the asteroid Bennu. He explained how asteroids were basically a snapshot from the early solar system. By studying primordial matter from Bennu, we can know what Earth was like 4.3 billion years ago.

Asteroids are far more significant than scientists once understood. Although they have always been regarded as potential threats and are now being considered as possible sources of valuable minerals, their importance extends much further. Increasing evidence suggests that asteroids played a fundamental part in making Earth habitable by bringing water and complex organic compounds to our planet.


This perspective changes how we view these celestial bodies. Rather than seeing asteroids solely as agents of catastrophic destruction, we can also recognise them as contributors to the emergence and development of life on Earth. Their role in shaping our planet makes them worthy of much greater scientific interest and appreciation.

May became part of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission in January 2019, several months after the spacecraft had arrived at asteroid Bennu. According to Space.com, the mission presented May with a particularly interesting challenge: OSIRIS-REx did not carry a stereoscopic camera capable of directly producing three-dimensional views of the asteroid.

That limitation was not unfamiliar territory for May. Before joining the Bennu mission, he had developed a technique for transforming ordinary two-dimensional photographs into 3D imagery. He had previously applied the method to images of Comet 67P, which was investigated by the Rosetta mission, as well as Pluto, photographed by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft. By selecting pictures captured from slightly different perspectives and precisely combining them, May could recreate a three-dimensional impression using images from a single camera.

Bennu Was Far More Treacherous Than Expected

The OSIRIS-REx mission, however, placed May’s scientific skills in a completely different situation. As the spacecraft transmitted increasingly detailed observations of Bennu, researchers discovered that the asteroid looked dramatically different from the relatively smooth landscape they had anticipated.

The original expectation was that Bennu would contain broad, sandy expanses resembling a beach, interrupted occasionally by larger stones and rocks. Instead, the spacecraft encountered an extraordinarily rugged world dominated by enormous boulders. Some of these formations towered dozens of feet above the surface despite Bennu’s extremely weak gravitational pull.

The two-dimensional photographs coming from the spacecraft made it difficult for researchers to properly appreciate the terrain and determine how dangerous the descent could be. May therefore examined images of Bennu’s numerous shallow craters, searching for an area sufficiently spacious and relatively free of obstacles where OSIRIS-REx could safely approach the surface and collect material.

Two Possible Landing Sites

After extensive examination, researchers narrowed their options to two locations: Osprey Crater and Nightingale Crater.

According to mission scientist Dante Lauretta, Osprey initially appealed to the spacecraft engineering team because its edges contained fewer rocks that could potentially threaten the probe during its approach. Scientists, meanwhile, preferred Nightingale because its darker appearance suggested the presence of ancient, relatively undisturbed regolith. They hoped that material could preserve clues about Bennu’s history and perhaps provide insights into conditions that existed during the early development of the solar system.

Neither location was remotely as large as the mission designers had originally envisioned. Osprey measured only around 20 feet (6 metres) across, while Nightingale extended roughly 25 feet (8 metres). Despite the engineering difficulties, Nightingale ultimately prevailed.

A Landing That Nearly Went Wrong

The chosen site came with an intimidating obstacle: a huge boulder at the crater’s edge that researchers nicknamed Mount Doom. Nevertheless, after months of preparation, engineers determined in October 2020 that OSIRIS-REx was ready to attempt its historic sampling operation.

The touchdown produced an unexpected shock. Scientists had assumed Bennu’s surface would behave somewhat like a compact pile of gravel, offering enough resistance to support the spacecraft while allowing some dust and loose particles to scatter.

Instead, the surface behaved almost like a fluid.

As OSIRIS-REx made contact, an enormous cloud of dust, gravel and debris erupted from the sampling area. The unexpected reaction alarmed mission controllers because it demonstrated just how loosely packed Bennu’s exterior was. Lauretta later explained to Space.com that the spacecraft could potentially have disappeared into the asteroid’s surface, much like an object sinking into a swamp.

May Helps Recreate The Dramatic Descent

May’s contribution became especially valuable after the sampling maneuver. By processing and combining the spacecraft’s photographs, he helped the team reconstruct portions of the tense descent in three dimensions. His work also enabled the creation of a brief visual sequence depicting debris surging around OSIRIS-REx immediately after contact.

The dramatic event revealed something fundamental about Bennu. Rather than being a solid, rock-like body, the asteroid is classified as a rubble-pile asteroid—a loosely assembled collection of dust, gravel, and rocks held together primarily by extremely weak gravity. That unusual structure makes Bennu far less stable and predictable than scientists initially imagined.

When Rocker Turned 157 Acres Of Land Into A Green Abode

According to a Yahoo Entertainment report, in 2013, Brian announced he had purchased Bere Regis, Dorset, England, and gradually turned it into a reserve where greenery and animals could thrive. In that year, several native British trees, such as viburnum, hazel, hawthorn, and bird cherry, were planted. Today, about 100,000 trees are thriving in the area.

Another of his initiatives was to save endangered animals. The Harper Asprey Wildlife Rescue is now headquartered on the land. The reserve is now a refuge for several native British animals like badgers, foxes, hedgehogs, and deer. About 750 animals reside there.

Queen was one of the most successful rock bands in history; it sold more than 250 million to 300 million albums. They are known for iconic rock anthems such as We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions. Other notable hits include Sheer Heart Attack, Killer Queen, etc.

May was born in 1947 in Middlesex, UK. He is the only child of Ruth Irving (née Fletcher) and Harold May, who worked as a draughtsman at the Ministry of Aviation.