Harry Stamper

Living… on Earth, which is in big trouble. Forty thousand people died last night. More are threatened by the hour as the giant asteroid gets closer. Harry came to Washington to do anything he could to help. If he fails, the Earth will be destroyed within weeks.

Profession… a deep-sea oil driller by trade. Right now, he’s helping NASA as the governmenthopes to nuke the asteroid that is hurtling towards Earth. If Harry can drill a hole deep in the asteroid and drop in a nuclear bomb, it’ll blow in half, and the two giant asteroid pieces will slide right past Earth. That’s the plan, anyway, and there’s virtually no margin for error. Simply shattering the asteroid won’t work, because the chunks would destroy Earth just as much as an intact asteroid. No, it must be cleaved into two, and it must be accomplished up in space before the asteroid gets too close.

Interests… being the finest oil driller in the world. Harry is responsible for the first well drilled over 50,000 feet. They said it couldn't be done. In 1991 he pioneered directional drilling through two miles of anthracite. They also said that couldn't be done. He holds specialized patents in high-speed bits, drilling fluids, and downhole motors. There’s a reason he’s the best man, and maybe the only man, for this job.

Relationship Status… single. His love life is always taking a back seat to his work. He was married once years ago, but his wife ran off with a drill-rigger and left him with their daughter, Grace. Now Grace is dating A.J., a driller on Harry’s crew, and a fellow member of this desperate save-the-Earth mission. Harry doesn’t like the thought of Grace being with anyone, frankly, but the thought of her falling for another driller is the last thing he wants.

Challenge… saving the world. If Harry and his crew aren’t successful on this NASA mission, humans will go extinct. It’s really that simple. The fact that Grace would be among those who will die would make it hurt that much more.

Personality… tough. Harry is hard on his men because any mistake could mean the end of everything. They think these NASA guys are a bunch of clean-cut sissies, but they can out-think Harry’s guys and they can out-run them. This job is as big as it gets. Harry needs every one of them, both oil drillers and astronauts, to be with him every step of the way.