Donald Brownlee
Donald Brownlee
Donald Eugene Brownleeis a professor of astronomy at the University of Washingtonand the principal investigator for NASA's Stardust mission. His primary research interests include astrobiology, comets, and cosmic dust. He was born in Las Vegas, Nevada...
billion desert formed great lake landed larger last million nearly particles salt seven solar space stardust system three traveling treasure
Last Sunday, after seven years in space traveling nearly three billion miles, Stardust landed in the Great Salt Lake Desert with a treasure from when the solar system formed 4.6 billion years ago. We should have more than one million particles larger than one micron in diameter.
exceeded grandest larger million particles
It exceeded all of our grandest expectations. We should have more than 1 million particles larger than 1 micron in diameter.
brought direct mission particles planet relationship selves stressed
We have always stressed in this mission that we are stardust. Our planet and even our selves have a direct relationship to the particles we brought back.
comet expect fully older particles
We fully expect some of the comet particles to be older than the sun.
bit dozen hair human larger particles prediction size
The prediction was that we would get a dozen particles larger than human hair size and one particle a little bit larger than a millimeter.
confident particles primitive stuff
I'm confident that the particles will be the most primitive stuff we've ever had on Earth.
half mass size
Our capsule is half the size and one-fourth the mass of Genesis,
extremely fire formed found high remarkably samples solar system
Remarkably enough, we have found fire and ice. We've found samples from the coldest part of the solar system that have mineral grains formed under extremely high temperatures.
fire found remarkably
Remarkably enough, we have found fire and ice.
comet history people planet view
This was our first view of the comet dust. We are the first people in the history of the planet to see comet dust.
formed solar
We can tell the difference, absolutely, for something that formed in our own solar system, and something that formed around another star.
feet lots small
We can see lots of impacts. There are big ones, there are small ones. The big ones you can see from 10 feet away.
huge lots small
It exceeds all expectations. It's a huge success. We can see lots of impacts. There are big ones, there are small ones.
huge
It exceeds all expectations. It's a huge success.