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 cosmic edge formed solar system treasure
Its cargo was an ancient, cosmic treasure from the very edge of the solar system ? a treasure that formed when the solar system formed 4.5 billion years ago.
ancient brought cosmic edge solar treasure
We've brought back an ancient cosmic treasure from the very edge of the solar system.
comet edge samples solar
It's thrilling. We have samples of a comet from the edge of the solar system.
edge exciting quite solar
It is quite exciting to find these things at the edge of the solar system.
contains edge inside sample solar star system truly
Inside this thing is our treasure, our sample of the edge of the solar system that truly contains star dust.
epic overlooked people quite tends
It's really quite an epic thing. I think it tends to get overlooked because it's just a little mission, and there aren't any people on board.
certain cold formed inside materials
It's certain such materials never formed inside this icy, cold body.
apart coming
It's coming apart under the heating of the sun.
far unique wild
So far, as far as we know Wild 2 is a unique object.
finding materials minerals solar
The interesting thing is we are finding these high-temperature minerals in materials from the coldest place in the solar system.
billion comet far library low picked records stored sun using
We?re using this comet as a library that picked up records and stored them far from the sun at very low temperatures for 4.5 billion years.
comet expect fully older particles
We fully expect some of the comet particles to be older than the sun.
backward chance low
What was the chance someone would put a g-switch in backward and not be discovered, ... It has got to be a low probability event.
absolutely bad either exceeded fully happened none point remarkable space successful totally wildest wrong
At this point in time, we're absolutely thrilled. It's totally remarkable to have a fully successful mission. Of all the things that could go wrong either in space or even scientifically, none of the bad things happened and everything really exceeded our wildest expectations.