Michael Gaffey, 80

December 1, 1945 - 

September 20, 2026

 

Michael Gaffey was a planetary scientist whose pioneering study of meteorites has become the principal resource for figuring out the makeup of asteroids.

He went to a one-room schoolhouse from kindergarten through 8th grade and graduated from Riceville High School in 1964. He then went on to receive his bachelor's and master's degrees in Geology from the University of  Iowa, and his PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in planetary science. After leaving MIT, he worked as a researcher at the Institute for Astronomy of the University of Hawaii and later at the Hawaii Institute of Geophysics. From 1984 to 2001, he taught in the geology department of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York State.

In 2001, Mike became a professor of Space Studies at the University of North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks, North Dakota. During his time there, he taught a variety of space studies courses ranging from “Introduction to Space Studies” to “The Planet Mars.” Along with teaching a wide range of classes throughout his time at UND, Professor Gaffey conducted extensive research that was internationally recognized. He was a world authority on asteroids as recognized by NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. He was most recently a UND Professor Emeritus.

In 2006, he received both the Leonard Medal from the Meteoritical Society and the G. K. Gilbert Award from the Planetary Science division of the Geological Society of America in honor of his fundamental and lasting contributions to the field of Planetary Science. That’s the scientific equivalent to winning both an Oscar and a Golden Globe award in the same year. The asteroid 3545 Gaffey is named in his honor.

Mike was a Participating Scientist member of NASA’s Near-Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) and Dawn spacecraft missions, NASA. So, Mike may not have looked like Bruce Willis in the movie Armageddon, but his work was critical in helping to ensure that the earth doesn’t get hit by another extinction level event. Mike, his students, and the other members of the asteroid mission teams were working toward the goal of helping us keep from going the way of the dinosaurs.

The family will hold a private family service, the public is invited to join the family at Goosey’s at 11 a.m., on Thursday, September 24, 2026.

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