The Last Orbit

From the #1 bestselling author of The Accidental Billionaires and Bringing Down the House comes a real-life, race-against-time thriller about the scientists and astronauts preparing—right now—to stop a city-killing asteroid from hitting Earth. In 2024, astronomers detected something terrifying: a massive asteroid, large enough to destroy an entire city, on a trajectory that, at first glance, would bring it dangerously close to Earth will bring it dangerously close to Earth in 2032. Then it disappeared behind the sun. When it reemerges in 2028, humanity will have just a few short years to determine whether it will miss us…or hit. For the first time in human history, we may have the power to stop it. From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ben Mezrich, The Last Orbit is a pulse-pounding work of narrative nonfiction that takes readers inside the real race to defend Earth from a potential asteroid collision. It draws on actual NASA programs, cutting-edge technology, and unprecedented access to the scientists and engineers already preparing for the unthinkable. With his signature cinematic storytelling and deep behind-the-scenes reporting, Mezrich brings readers alongside the astronomers tracking the threat, the mission designers building humanity’s first planetary defense systems, and the astronauts who may be called upon to carry out the most high-stakes mission in history. This is the story from inside the room where it happens. As the odds shift and time runs out, they attempt a series of increasingly desperate strategies, from high-speed impact missions to experimental propulsion systems to last-resort measures never before attempted. Each decision carries the fate of millions. This isn’t science fiction. It’s a true story, based on real plans already in motion. And it unfolds with the relentless tension of a thriller. Perfect for fans of Project Hail Mary and The Martian, The Last Orbit combines the intellectual excitement of cutting-edge science with the emotional stakes of humanity on the brink. It arrives at a moment when space is once again at the center of global imagination. As NASA’s Artemis program missions prepare to return humans to the Moon, and as blockbuster storytelling like Project Hail Mary captures the public’s attention, interest in space has never felt more immediate or more urgent. The Last Orbit takes that fascination one step further, revealing not just where we’re going, but what we’re up against. Because the next great space story isn’t about exploration. It’s about survival.