The Boy Who Reached for the Stars
A Memoir
Will be published approx. on 4. June 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
208 pages
978-0-06-321432-3 (ISBN)
Description
"Inspiring and joyous."-People
"Heartwarming . . . infectious . . . Morillo's The Boy Who Reached for the Stars is every bit the inspiration he means it to be."-Kirkus Reviews
The engineer known as the "space mechanic" speaks to both our future and past in this breathless memoir of his journey from Ecuador to NASA and beyond.
Elio Morillo's life is abruptly spun out of orbit when economic collapse and personal circumstances compel his mother to flee Ecuador for the United States in search of a better future for her son. His itinerant childhood sets into motion a migration that will ultimately carry Elio to the farthest expanse of human endeavor: space.
Overcoming a history of systemic adversity and inequality in public education, Elio forged ahead on a journey as indebted to his galactic dreams as to a loving mother whose sacrifices safeguarded the ground beneath his feet. Today, Elio is helping drive human expansion into the solar system and promote the future of human innovation-from AI and robotics to space infrastructure and equitable access.
The Boy Who Reached the Stars is both a cosmic and intimate memoir spun from a constellation of memories, reflections, and intrepid curiosity, as thoroughly luminous as the stars above.
"Heartwarming . . . infectious . . . Morillo's The Boy Who Reached for the Stars is every bit the inspiration he means it to be."-Kirkus Reviews
The engineer known as the "space mechanic" speaks to both our future and past in this breathless memoir of his journey from Ecuador to NASA and beyond.
Elio Morillo's life is abruptly spun out of orbit when economic collapse and personal circumstances compel his mother to flee Ecuador for the United States in search of a better future for her son. His itinerant childhood sets into motion a migration that will ultimately carry Elio to the farthest expanse of human endeavor: space.
Overcoming a history of systemic adversity and inequality in public education, Elio forged ahead on a journey as indebted to his galactic dreams as to a loving mother whose sacrifices safeguarded the ground beneath his feet. Today, Elio is helping drive human expansion into the solar system and promote the future of human innovation-from AI and robotics to space infrastructure and equitable access.
The Boy Who Reached the Stars is both a cosmic and intimate memoir spun from a constellation of memories, reflections, and intrepid curiosity, as thoroughly luminous as the stars above.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers Inc
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 203 mm
Width: 132 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
159 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-06-321432-3 (9780063214323)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
06/2023
HarperCollins
€9.99
Available for download
Person
Elio Morillo is a space systems engineer at Blue Origin. Previously he worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory on the Mars 2020 mission, where he was a system testbed and operations engineer for the Perseverance rover and Ingenuity, the Mars helicopter. Born in Ecuador and raised in Puerto Rico and New York, Elio graduated from the University of Michigan with an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering and a minor in electrical engineering as well as a master's in systems engineering and design. In his free time, he enjoys giving talks on space, volunteering, and mentoring. Elio is passionate about exploration, expansion, and equitable access to space.