https://www.brianjobrien.com/the-obrien-blog daily 0.75 2021-01-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1538783696718-YGUQIMGR3WW5Y2Y210ER/Reading+Blog.jpg The O'Brien Blog https://www.brianjobrien.com/the-obrien-blog/2021/1/24/dream-with-me-please-remembering-brian-obrien-who-reached-for-the-moon-august-21-2020 monthly 0.5 2021-01-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1611493402816-BJQGSAWYMS0O18YSP6I3/Brian+PICBOvbf3a.jpg The O'Brien Blog - “Dream with me, please” – remembering Brian O’Brien, who reached for the moon August 7 2020 https://www.brianjobrien.com/the-obrien-blog/2019/8/4/x2bh2568dw9mbvpsiowvivq6hdyt9a monthly 0.5 2019-08-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1564931923880-VJJMVH9WJ94S8LBVC27P/Buzz+EASEP+%26+LUNAR+MODULE..jpg The O'Brien Blog - Apollo 11 carried my scientific experiment to the moon, but so what? Buzz Aldrin Placing the EASEP on the Lunar Surface https://www.brianjobrien.com/the-obrien-blog/2019/7/10/before-apollo-11there-was-this-voyage-to-the-moon monthly 0.5 2019-07-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1562759175052-5UTDJCEYP8C5JC6VF02O/GM.PNG The O'Brien Blog - Before Apollo 11....There Was This Voyage to the Moon https://www.brianjobrien.com/the-obrien-blog/2019/7/5/light-show monthly 0.5 2019-07-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1562378836839-5SU3K6SGQ0LZ9I8CD776/Aur.png The O'Brien Blog - Light Show Credit NASA: Astronaut Christina Koch snapped this beautiful space picture (Image: NASA/CHRISTINA KOCH) https://www.brianjobrien.com/the-obrien-blog/2019/7/2/the-fourth-most-downloaded-planetary-and-space-science-article-from-elsevier monthly 0.5 2019-07-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1562114457459-NNORN1IL5P62ZX09SYNF/4thMost.JPG The O'Brien Blog - The Fourth Most Downloaded Planetary and Space Science Article from Elsevier. https://www.brianjobrien.com/the-obrien-blog/2019/6/16/apollo-11-mission-nasa-at-its-best monthly 0.5 2019-06-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1560736039866-HMQN9E4D7SAHSYLTQLM0/Apollo-real-time.JPG The O'Brien Blog - Apollo 11 Mission - NASA at its Best https://www.brianjobrien.com/the-obrien-blog/2019/6/4/van-allen-and-the-cosmos-club monthly 0.5 2019-06-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1559654359984-24HEM1CUI0I65HRIHVUC/Van+and+Nature+paper+IMG_106.jpg The O'Brien Blog - Van Allen and the Cosmos Club https://www.brianjobrien.com/the-obrien-blog/2019/5/13/a-quote-on-malfunction monthly 0.5 2019-05-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1557756306850-7U5MNB3ERZYTUVBCUKRU/Van+Allen+Editorial+Quote+on+Malfunction+in+Space+1959++plus+Cartoon+IMG_091.jpg The O'Brien Blog - A Quote on “Malfunction” A quote on Malfunction from J.A. Van Allen. https://www.brianjobrien.com/the-obrien-blog/2019/3/24/rice-university-the-devils-in-moon-dust-details monthly 0.5 2019-03-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1553475474656-4480S1L1EUGN2IFPF8LC/RICE+Lec.JPG The O'Brien Blog - Rice University - The Devil’s in Moon Dust Details Click the Image to access the article https://www.brianjobrien.com/the-obrien-blog/2019/3/22/the-washington-post-takes-a-look-back-at-lunar-dust monthly 0.5 2019-03-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1553311316363-5574CSFVYIVJRRDP2RDC/Washington+Post+Neff.PNG The O'Brien Blog - The Washington Post Takes a Look Back at Lunar Dust https://www.brianjobrien.com/the-obrien-blog/2019/3/8/the-lunar-surface monthly 0.5 2019-03-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1552090413797-7I1UYRL40SRJN0QYXYE0/image-asset.png The O'Brien Blog - The Lunar Surface https://www.brianjobrien.com/the-obrien-blog/2019/1/10/changing-nssdca-lunar-dust-websites-into-apollo-11-50th-anniversary-celebrations monthly 0.5 2019-03-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1547125962069-FJOM737YK1CSX1MYNRYA/NASA+NSSDCA+Site+Cap.png The O'Brien Blog - CHANGING NSSDCA LUNAR DUST WEBSITES INTO APOLLO 11 50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS Welcome to the NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive, NASA's archive for space science mission data. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1547125844841-15RYAZWF7F7Z3EDK8XPA/LETTER.png The O'Brien Blog - CHANGING NSSDCA LUNAR DUST WEBSITES INTO APOLLO 11 50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS https://www.brianjobrien.com/the-obrien-blog/2018/10/5/would-you-believe monthly 0.5 2018-10-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1538780477650-QBYNEXH10S2AX648QX32/DDE+Reports+Comparison.png The O'Brien Blog - Would You Believe? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1538780278169-K89Q05N98JALDZ825K1G/Would+you+believe+copy.jpg The O'Brien Blog - Would You Believe? https://www.brianjobrien.com/the-obrien-blog/2018/10/5/the-ballad-of-the-dtrem monthly 0.5 2018-10-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1538779067991-PT40SL0C3ZZIQ8E722HC/lunar-Dust.jpg The O'Brien Blog - The Ballad of Apollo 11 DDE https://www.brianjobrien.com/the-obrien-blog/tag/%23Innovation monthly 0.5 https://www.brianjobrien.com/the-obrien-blog/tag/%23Dust monthly 0.5 https://www.brianjobrien.com/the-obrien-blog/tag/%23Dust+%23Innovation monthly 0.5 https://www.brianjobrien.com/home daily 1.0 2021-01-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1611490340222-URDYSSWUTFW5R2TQR1MF/BJ3.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1553309764901-FGDURBEKEH4KGB7DWPIG/190319_+untitled_fitlow_008+%283%29.jpg Home Prof. Brian O’Brien in March 2019 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1547263122628-72YM39GVL9V96YCCIXBB/Dust+Cartoon+%282%29.JPG Home Cartoon by Dean Alston of the West Australian - https://thewest.com.au/opinion/dean-alston https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542798798480-ZIGC7JHZDB1A3VOSEZYT/nasa-43980-unsplash.jpg Home - INESCAPABLE DUST Four years after President Kennedy announced the challenge to land a man on the Moon and return him safely to Earth, the April 1965 IAU-NASA Symposium "The Nature of the Lunar Surface" agreed that it would be safe to land on the dust of the Moon, and four years later Apollo 11 proved it. Noel Hinners (NASA Oral History, 2010) described the reaction to Ranger photos of a big rock sitting calmly on the surface and not sinking out of sight. So thus anybody in his right mind would conclude that the bearing strength of the lunar surface was not an issue..... What’s the problem? Most of us dismissed that concern." By 1966 the need to include a dust detector was dismissed, as the caveat about bearing strength became forgotten among the thousands of issues to be resolved, and "dismiss dust" became the general belief. The Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) Apollo 11 Preliminary Science Report chose to misinterpret the measurements. The belief in dismissal of dust became a mindset, distorting decisions. (see THE DUST STORY). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1550921675337-OUKVCU32NCNPY55BSUNZ/Apollo+12+DDE+with+1+cent+O%27Brien+label+1968+2008+copy.jpg Home https://www.brianjobrien.com/cohesive-studies daily 0.75 2018-11-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1538798797364-2RLDR3FXG7KSF5WVVLL0/DUST.gif Cohesive Studies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1538845108166-U5XXS614S5SKPJBIVJUD/Magic+Numbers.gif Cohesive Studies https://www.brianjobrien.com/about-this-site daily 0.75 2020-05-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1538801771463-1MTWEIN9EB9YA5325HOB/Gene+and+Flag.jpg About This Site https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1538800711490-VCM0QWPCGT0ZZ0FCX6TT/Buzz+Apollo+11.jpg About This Site Fig. 1 -Buzz Aldrin looking back towards the Lunar Module https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1538800822725-SFGCBB0LVN0O3UBAW4JD/Apollo+12+DDE.jpg About This Site Fig. 2 -Apollo 12 DDE with one cent coin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1538801016459-GUOUJRZF7U8ZOYIMUPNF/Gene+and+Flag.jpg About This Site Fig. 3 - Gene Cernan on the Moon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1538801083306-IVULZVBJ26NYOZ9VV4EG/Gene+and+Brian.jpg About This Site Fig. 4 -Gene Cernan and Brian J. O’Brien https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1543040471963-UJT6WL6RZ7QEBCHENTI5/NASA+NSSDCA+Site+Cap.png About This Site NSSDCA Web Site Screen Capture stating” ”NSSDCA is anticipating the return of service of the NSSDCA Master Catalog and the Terrestrial Planet Mileage Guide within the next week or so. The SPASE Data Registry will hopefully return to service roughly a week or so thereafter. We apologize for the lengthy downtime and appreciate your understanding. (Updated 2018-11-15)” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1543040737909-DPC3IN1799DJWGT805ZP/CASE+1NASA+NSSDCA+Site+Cap.png About This Site Case 1 “Unforced Error vs Facts” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1543040791469-PYTUK1ETMUH2QUPNF171/CASE+2NASA+NSSDCA+Site+Cap.png About This Site Case 2 “Unforced Error vs Facts” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1538845031774-MNV40CBGVECN7JK12E7W/Magic+Numbers.gif About This Site https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1538801601110-NHMCIRV3P5PK18ANJQZB/Astro+Team.jpg About This Site Fig. 6 - The Class of '64 https://www.brianjobrien.com/about-brian daily 0.75 2019-08-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1536129019076-5KOCXZL5B9R9WX68D0CD/NASA_GPN-2000-001102.jpg About Brian https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1564933024504-VN68FZN0RB540IQW3K4T/ABC.PNG About Brian Brian O’Brien Interview on ABC Radio About Moon Dust https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1553309964517-JIYHY0HIY2Q66LN12JBF/190319_+Transport_fitlow_033+%282%29.jpg About Brian Prof Brian O’Brien - March 2019 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1561103821483-2KOAZQPSO7GDH7RQIXSI/Who+Are+You.JPG About Brian “Who Are You - Professor Brian O’Brien” - ABC Radio Interview https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541749373893-923B4GTZA8387YD1LLP3/Brian_ABC.JPG About Brian Brian J. O'Brien on studying the moon and teaching astronauts https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1538782884171-3M4MZSRNWFDZN8OT8LMU/BJOB.png About Brian Dr Brian J O’Brien is an environmental and strategic consultant, principal of Brian J O’Brien and Associate and Adjunct Professor of Physics, University of Western Australia. He is a former Director and Chair of the Environmental Protection Authority of WA. He took his PhD at the University of Sydney and then worked in the US for 10 years – at the University of Iowa and then as Professor of Space Science at Rice University, Houston, from 1963–68. https://www.brianjobrien.com/dust-measurements daily 0.75 2018-11-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1536129019076-5KOCXZL5B9R9WX68D0CD/NASA_GPN-2000-001102.jpg Dust Measurements https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1538780971176-PD9B2CSOR828KGAD4KG5/Measurements.PNG Dust Measurements https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1540815167777-3YX4HK5BY6QUC4GN9EQF/LD1-2.PNG Dust Measurements https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1540815171249-IUUDKWOBISE9MTDLE0XQ/LD1-2a.PNG Dust Measurements https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1540815178003-03QM3ZHP5NIZ9GJFHFLS/LD1-2b.PNG Dust Measurements https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1540815183254-YO9MS73DBE5YPWIOLQ6U/LD1-2c.PNG Dust Measurements https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1540815188646-4KE0GT4YKJDS65Z75AF7/LD1-2d.PNG Dust Measurements https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1540815197584-IK4EFYOGN2RQNGN0YZMZ/LD1-2e.PNG Dust Measurements https://www.brianjobrien.com/dust-measurements-1 daily 0.75 2018-11-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1540816613070-TUIJWU5ZS3QZWED98H55/Report2.png The Changing Truth on Dust https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1540799800735-FJR8GUW3KP35E0WM86CJ/Three+Accounts The Changing Truth on Dust Click to Enlarge. Figure 1: Evidence of Measurements (shown in Blue) in NASA MSC Preliminary Mission Report (14 August 1969) omitted in MSC Preliminary Science report (21 August 1969). Note PSR signed only by Freden and Bates. O'Brien strongly expressed his disagreement with both NASA reports which he received in Sydney in one envelope from Freden 23 August 1969 (see O'Brien Progress Report #2, 15 August 1969 below). Attachment of O'Brien's name as co-author to the Apollo 11 Preliminary Science Report NASA SP-214 was without his permission. In October 1970 O'Brien was lead author publishing the correct measurements in the Journal of Applied Physics. However, it remained unclear why the NASA Figures were incorrect. The answer is very elementary, an administrative mistake - the NASA measurements above signed on August 21 were made on August 20, 1969, a month after the Apollo Lunar Module and Armstrong and Aldrin had left the Moon (see below). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1540800051686-OKW59RTKOZOBCY6ZE19N/Brians+Account.png The Changing Truth on Dust Click to Enlarge https://www.brianjobrien.com/partners-1 daily 0.75 2019-03-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541317578650-7UIAWRAXW4PIPBWNLI12/Handshakes.png Partners https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1553318986368-VA4NL3CYTSLRM5T8DBAX/Guy+C.+Holmes Partners Guy C. Holmes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541316931632-0JOP0CEHQO08JE257VAA/TA_Logo.png Partners - TAPE ARK The primary focus at Tape Ark is providing solutions to the long-standing problem of accessing tape based data held in offsite tape vaults. Tape Ark is proud to be associated with Prof. Brian J O’Brien. https://www.brianjobrien.com/the-changing-truth-on-dust daily 0.75 2018-11-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541303781683-JFYQPHW9WXS6MN48L293/Apollo11+Lunar+Mod.png 6 Facts About the Ascent of Apollo 11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541303277744-1G0YHNY8I20ZFB8TU09K/6+facts 6 Facts About the Ascent of Apollo 11 Click to Enlarge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541313129460-Q7D5G3AIV48XLZR45YMW/LM+SOlar+Cells 6 Facts About the Ascent of Apollo 11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541313922028-J5V8RC6OZZMI0L36YHID/LD1LM.PNG 6 Facts About the Ascent of Apollo 11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541313928704-2O6IXLJHMXAHRIJ6MLWK/LD1LMa.PNG 6 Facts About the Ascent of Apollo 11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541313934995-WOQIOCT7FSVDM3RWA43B/LD1LMb.PNG 6 Facts About the Ascent of Apollo 11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541313938956-1K863RCIQY6GGQRBKWJB/LD1LMc.PNG 6 Facts About the Ascent of Apollo 11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541313944244-26XZ3UUVVKQ11FZ7NABR/LD1LMd.PNG 6 Facts About the Ascent of Apollo 11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541313950105-XGLNS41OEFAVPSIC91JT/LD1LMe.PNG 6 Facts About the Ascent of Apollo 11 https://www.brianjobrien.com/easep-and-alseps daily 0.75 2018-11-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541315812568-5NFBE0M8A0BI4I94U2XZ/Lunar_Earth.png EASEP AND ALSEPs https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541315022014-GV0GJ2V27WIXVUKEYMH4/ALSEP EASEP AND ALSEPs ASLEP - Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541332594805-1HW8TDDEAXVMOHTZ23V7/Practice+deploying+2-s70-46152.jpg EASEP AND ALSEPs Two astronauts with a practice Apollo 14 ALSEP in Houston. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541315517048-P7DHH7R7M1P95KDT1K9V/EASEP EASEP AND ALSEPs EASEP (Early Apollo Surface Experiments Package) https://www.brianjobrien.com/publications daily 0.75 2020-05-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541339926916-GH9HTE2LXL2379DJWVJM/3482172.jpg Publications https://www.brianjobrien.com/brians-career daily 0.75 2019-05-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541319934511-RTE4O0MS2XHY62NM2NZV/Dust+Dector_EM.jpg Brian's Career https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1557755694151-4P4QU5ONO9NYGFUBA6TF/O%27Brien+SUI+Telemetry+Tleemetry+receiving+station+Oct+1959+MG_090.jpg Brian's Career Photo of Brian in SUI receiving station about 6 or 7 metres from his office in the basement of Physic Dept in Iowa City. Brian was working on data from his first satellite, Explorer 7. There was a large press conference in Washington on explorer 7’s first birthday in 1960 when its killer timer was supposed to turn it off to free the telemetry band for others - Brian won a very public $10 bet that it would not happen. https://www.brianjobrien.com/about-brian-1 daily 0.75 2019-03-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541319763880-35JW68O91UYGWDII8RN7/Dust+Dector.jpg Brian's Story https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541319509543-HIHWKKQ1VQHICSFLM2X7/Brian+J+OBrien Brian's Story Brian with his flight unit of Apollo 13 Charged Particle Lunar Environment Experiment (CPLEE), Houston, 1968 after calibrating it at Rice University. The Dust Cover is unrolled. This Flight Unit is now at the bottom of the oceans following the Apollo 13 Lunar Module safe completion of its amazing unscheduled role, with ALSEP still stowed on board, as a life-saving vehicle then separation from the Command Module. The LM safely completed its unique flight carrying the 3 Apollo 13 astronauts back from orbiting the Moon and flying for 3 days towards the Earth atmosphere. Brian was in the Manned Spacecraft Center during the extraordinary skilled and multitasked impromptu rescue of the 3 cold astronauts temporarily lost in space over 3 days and nights until April 18, 1970. In that stressful time, he often mentally empathised with the astronauts perhaps more than many, revisiting his being lost and alone for 79 hours in the total dark and silence of the unexplored East Deep Creek cave of Yarrangobilly as a 19 year old in December 1953. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541320410622-HLZ1RY716NQW41XX0RCV/image-asset.jpeg Brian's Story Apollo 14 ALSEP shows Brian's CPLEE in foreground and Dust Detector Experiment (DDE) in top-right corner of the Central Processing Unit (CPI) in background. Brian is the only scientist who is Principal Investigator of experiments on the Moon in two different scientific disciplines, Radiation and Movements of Dust. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541320178378-NLUKFOZSPL3B6YVK2REV/NASA_Tape.jpg Brian's Story https://www.brianjobrien.com/speleology daily 0.75 2026-02-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542284155940-F7JI1V3KPBFCK34KP024/Caves.jpg Speleology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542464647723-5LOLGDY0E1DKYDUH6O55/Yarangobilly+Mirror+16+Dec+1953.jpg Speleology “No Sign Yet of Student” form the Daily Mirror on December 15 1953. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542284442917-O0R4XJC3VKIVLMIVIYS4/The+Sun%2C+1953+Ybilly.jpg Speleology Article from the December 15th 1953 issue of “The Sun” “Torch Hunt in Huge Cave for Youth”. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1543035073315-J1ZSMEBSUELGM2W87NKL/Caving+Brian+%26+Orange+2010-09-01+11.27.00+%282%29.jpg Speleology - Caving Brian refreshing with an orange on a later exploration of the East Deep Creek cave. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1543035054296-9A80TZNB7CK1XHBOZINM/Crystalline+solid+creek+flow+Rowena++Larkins+EDC00011.jpg Speleology - East Deep Creek https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1543035059823-D3OCYRNUJYD3II8ZF2VZ/EDC+Crystal+grotto+Source+Rowena+Larkins+EDC00014.jpg Speleology - East Deep Creek https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1543035064371-01Q26L92UDLBGOJIHGQ2/I+wiil+not+go+there+Rowena+Laarkins+EDC00006.jpg Speleology - East Deep Creek https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1543035072323-RE2D1RGVBIEPSSZZZG5U/Or+there+Rowena+Larkins+Brian+speakng+EDC00004.jpg Speleology - East Deep Creek https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1543035081677-NMEBQET036ADWB9YR339/Rich+roof+clusters+of+stalactites+Rowena+Larkins+EDC00009.jpg Speleology - East Deep Creek https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1543035635113-GN2NJEYOQP7JK1AGJ81Q/Ybilly+%26+Man+from+Snowy+River.jpg Speleology - "Ybilli" Brian with a Man from Snowy River, leaving the East Deep Creek after 79 hours underground https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542463216349-YHYQDTQ13I8DNQKJ213K/East+Deep+Creek+distant_20170126_124738.jpg Speleology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542463330004-YGZGHBS3W41IN2VUM1ZD/Entrance+and+people+edc1+%281%29.jpg Speleology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542463372381-2NLKLLS9H1G8R7PDIKKE/Grand+shawls+and+Cascade+PANO_20170126_124738.jpg Speleology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542463397823-Y4KJP59FPJHXOBC0IXJ0/IMG_20170126_124642.jpg Speleology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542463443346-NBJ67X1B3G99FK6NOM0K/IMG_20170126_124933.jpg Speleology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542463495710-Q9WGF2RIJY7O5XSY54W8/IMG_20170128_095027+%2813%29.jpg Speleology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542463511164-ECAYFORRKY4SYIJ52F8H/Straddling+white+flows+yag4.jpg Speleology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542463534775-0RWAB1VQ4W3USOLCBY6M/View+up+to+Jim+standing+on+ledge+ATT00422+%282%29.jpg Speleology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542463546798-R6V1OO8BYTKIPXGUZIV3/wide+view+rocks+etc+ck22.jpg Speleology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542486739722-9AY59X1OCG1TBX1DXXK8/edc4.jpg Speleology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542486759897-O9TQVWUY194EMUEQ59PL/EDC+Deborah+Skeleon+vs+Hand+P1090104+%282%29.JPG Speleology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542486782629-PO5UPGYLYC13KQZGJA16/Deborah+Crystal+pool+P1090101.JPG Speleology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542284383261-S78IUB70VI680VYIHGEY/Fred+1955+2010-09-01+11.05.00.jpg Speleology Brian’s best mate - Dr. Frederick H. Stewart, became a highly respected doctor in Darwin and later in Queensland.Fred, pictured above, wrote Brian a solemn note on a muddy note pad and left it at the entrance to the cave, not realizing just how much trouble Brian was in at the time. (Note immediately below). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542284633399-XRVRUEUVK920KFHYIU5W/Fred+note+East+Deep+Creek.jpg Speleology The note left for Brian from Fred reads: “Could’’t find you, Gone back to Caves House. Take a Sleeping Bag” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1772009285093-U8DTMOWTA8DO3YFLHJ79/historic-lamp-recovered-yarrangobilly-cave.jpg Speleology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1772009304983-P5JZ1S17SIBGFZ9I9RK5/lamp.jpg Speleology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1772009423681-PK5J5TS3F2XHHO1P7FZK/bobby+cafagna.jpg Speleology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1772009381927-D158VDWBL0AICRSINK71/abc+south+east+Adrianne+Reardon+volunteers.jpg Speleology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1772009328653-3YWPZF1TNFYGECDN2OQF/carbide+lamp.jpg Speleology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1772009343370-QIEDLDTESOZMYA94COBD/lampcave.jpg Speleology https://www.brianjobrien.com/auroras daily 0.75 2018-11-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542487975712-3NY5G8J5K48Z71E2I81W/luke-stackpoole-540158-unsplash.jpg Auroras and Satellites https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542489541694-PIGP9KSXRTV81UEBWO4U/Transit-4A_and_Injun-1_and_SolRad-3_image2.jpg Auroras and Satellites Transit IV-A with its companion payloads was put in orbit with Greb III (top) and Injun 1 middle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542488964829-Q9N5RAWKFPA03EHNRO8V/1961+Van+Brian+%26+Injun+1+data.png Auroras and Satellites Brian J. O’Brien and James van Allen tracking the Injun 1 satellite. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1543035979050-5RHJPJU189ASRCU9SLNS/Brian+and+Owl+stellite+wrc01734.jpg Auroras and Satellites Brian pictured here with one of the Owl satellites. In 1965, Rice became the first university to design and build its own satellites under the NASA Explorer Program. Owl 1 and 2 were designed to study auroras and Van Allen radiation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542489090283-5FTILY472CPMGPZU5K9T/Injun+1+May+1961+copy.jpg Auroras and Satellites Brian and his team working with Injun 1 and its many “Cheap” solar cells. After the rest of the team had taken the payload to Cape Canaveral for launch, Brian used the break to finalise his temperature control calculations. He realised from his new slide-rule reviewed calculations that the white payload would run Injun 1 several degrees TOO cold, reducing too much gain of the transistors and some other electronics. So he phoned a German specialist he knew from an Explorer 7 press conference, in von Braun's team in Huntsville. Brian arranged to "borrow" a half-full 250 mill bottle of the engineer's best Huntsville lead sulphide black paint. Brian then bought at an Iowa City store a bundle of children's paint brushes with different sized brushes and flew to the Cape. He had also arranged for the bottle to be picked up by one of the team to hitch Cape-Huntsville-Cape on jet return flights which he recalls may have been Air Force. Then in the early morning at the Cape, Brian and Bill together painted black most of the outside parts shown here as white. They had no time for a new photo, but they celebrated with an early breakfast at 3am of strawberry waffles he remembers very well. The temperature of Injun 1 worked fine for its operating lifetime of more than a year, unusually long for those early years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542489252789-3QQRX9M3YGGLDSWNJS4E/Van+Brian+%26+Team.png Auroras and Satellites https://www.brianjobrien.com/rewriting-apollo-11-history daily 0.75 2019-02-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1543037158551-QMP65O059ZGDF1RA0WIM/Apollo11+Patch.jpg Rewriting Apollo 11 History https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1543037334809-FWBLC3UMBDN8LSS27IPM/Surveyor.png Rewriting Apollo 11 History https://www.brianjobrien.com/inescapable-dust daily 0.75 2019-02-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1550922515801-IDTQ0RFIL3DTNWI76WV7/rahul-bhosale-541180-unsplash.jpg Inescapable Dust https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1550920983688-GKF2NCVD9Z1BLRSP4W6L/right+%28blue%29+is+bare+cell+DTREM+006C.jpg Inescapable Dust Modified Dust Detector All 3 cells horizontal Apollo 11, 14 and 15. No Dust Detectors on the "longer, larger" Apollo 16 & 17. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1550920904811-XZQQVTVFP0VMBDBYO955/Apollo+12+DDE+with+1+cent+O%27Brien+label+1968+2008+copy.jpg Inescapable Dust Apollo 12 Dust Detector with 3 orthogonal cells. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1550921080207-COU3ZZ7NN008B4VWDKRD/Draggons.png Inescapable Dust https://www.brianjobrien.com/lunar-laboratories daily 0.75 2019-03-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1552101249943-8REYT7U8P3NWSUM9NL5Z/alsep_dust_detector.jpg LUNAR LABORATORIES https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1552100898393-OYPZEFTCLUYPSRH9AL89/1125_MOON-2.jpg LUNAR LABORATORIES Brian O'Brien, left, then a Rice professor, and his student David Reasoner work on a moon-bound experiment in the 1960s. Photo courtesy of the Fondren Library https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1552101467550-WD16W73OXA9LP4K71JTU/Capture_Rice_Nasa.PNG LUNAR LABORATORIES https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1552101797663-8EEGIGAOKXX4C5WDNNB8/Capture_Rice_Nasa3.PNG LUNAR LABORATORIES https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1552101488904-VWQCQR1457T6VN40FQFM/Capture_Rice_Nasa2.PNG LUNAR LABORATORIES https://www.brianjobrien.com/video-lectures daily 0.75 2019-06-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1553314192748-28D19ECFY5WQO69QR8SM/190319_+Transport_fitlow_033+%282%29.jpg Video Lectures and Interviews https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1553314032985-2JQO4PVFV2BHW3XDK9OB/Rice_Lecture.PNG Video Lectures and Interviews Apollo 11 Anniversary Lecture: "Six Decades of Space Science" - Dr. Brian O'Brien Courtesy of SEDS Rice - Rice University Streamed live on Mar 18, 2019 At the time of the planning for the Apollo launches, it was not clear how much dust would be on the lunar surface, and whether that dust would be an issue for Apollo EVA's. In fact, the dust was not too deep, but was readily moved and inescapable. Apollo astronauts and experiments found that fine, sticky and abrasive lunar dust, as fine as talcum but more cutting than sandpaper, was the number one environmental problem on the Moon. Professor O'brien, who was one of the founding faculty members in the Rice Space Science Department during the planning and assembly of the Apollo missions, designed, built, and made many discoveries with five instruments put on the Moon by Apollo astronauts on Apollo 11, 12, 14, and 15, including a dust detector (DDE) and an ion/electron plasma detector, CPLEE. Dr. O'brien, who is the only surviving Apollo science Principal Investigator, will present his reminiscences of Rice and Apollo from that exciting time in history, and stories of Moon dust, which is still a vital and relevant subject today and for future explorations of the Moon. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541749373893-923B4GTZA8387YD1LLP3/Brian_ABC.JPG Video Lectures and Interviews Brian J. O'Brien on studying the moon and teaching astronauts https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1538782884171-3M4MZSRNWFDZN8OT8LMU/BJOB.png Video Lectures and Interviews Dr Brian J O’Brien is an environmental and strategic consultant, principal of Brian J O’Brien and Associate and Adjunct Professor of Physics, University of Western Australia. He is a former Director and Chair of the Environmental Protection Authority of WA. He took his PhD at the University of Sydney and then worked in the US for 10 years – at the University of Iowa and then as Professor of Space Science at Rice University, Houston, from 1963–68. https://www.brianjobrien.com/stem daily 0.75 2019-07-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1558360735912-WC2I2XLWQ4R45JDE5EB0/feliphe-schiarolli-445578-unsplash.jpg STEM https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1538845108166-U5XXS614S5SKPJBIVJUD/Magic+Numbers.gif STEM https://www.brianjobrien.com/brians-story daily 0.75 2019-06-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541319763880-35JW68O91UYGWDII8RN7/Dust+Dector.jpg Copy of Brian's Story https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541319509543-HIHWKKQ1VQHICSFLM2X7/Brian+J+OBrien Copy of Brian's Story Brian with his flight unit of Apollo 13 Charged Particle Lunar Environment Experiment (CPLEE), Houston, 1968 after calibrating it at Rice University. The Dust Cover is unrolled. This Flight Unit is now at the bottom of the oceans following the Apollo 13 Lunar Module safe completion of its amazing unscheduled role, with ALSEP still stowed on board, as a life-saving vehicle then separation from the Command Module. The LM safely completed its unique flight carrying the 3 Apollo 13 astronauts back from orbiting the Moon and flying for 3 days towards the Earth atmosphere. Brian was in the Manned Spacecraft Center during the extraordinary skilled and multitasked impromptu rescue of the 3 cold astronauts temporarily lost in space over 3 days and nights until April 18, 1970. In that stressful time, he often mentally empathised with the astronauts perhaps more than many, revisiting his being lost and alone for 79 hours in the total dark and silence of the unexplored East Deep Creek cave of Yarrangobilly as a 19 year old in December 1953. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541320410622-HLZ1RY716NQW41XX0RCV/image-asset.jpeg Copy of Brian's Story Apollo 14 ALSEP shows Brian's CPLEE in foreground and Dust Detector Experiment (DDE) in top-right corner of the Central Processing Unit (CPI) in background. Brian is the only scientist who is Principal Investigator of experiments on the Moon in two different scientific disciplines, Radiation and Movements of Dust. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1541320178378-NLUKFOZSPL3B6YVK2REV/NASA_Tape.jpg Copy of Brian's Story https://www.brianjobrien.com/conversations-with-astronauts daily 0.75 2019-06-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1561336073227-XCJOUM2RVMMPTZWAPS7B/Group+Photo_400dpi.JPG Conversations with Astronauts https://www.brianjobrien.com/useful-and-interesting-links daily 0.75 2019-07-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1563099024270-A2E5PDICWEOAMVOBKP3N/DSS-46_sidelit_12May2008.jpg Useful and Interesting Links https://www.brianjobrien.com/one-small-step daily 0.75 2019-12-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1543037158551-QMP65O059ZGDF1RA0WIM/Apollo11+Patch.jpg One Small Step https://www.brianjobrien.com/home-old daily 0.75 2021-01-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1535884726111-7S095ZCBYG7N7SI1BW7R/Footprint+AS11-40-5877HR.jpg Home Old https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1553309764901-FGDURBEKEH4KGB7DWPIG/190319_+untitled_fitlow_008+%283%29.jpg Home Old Prof. Brian O’Brien in March 2019 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1547263122628-72YM39GVL9V96YCCIXBB/Dust+Cartoon+%282%29.JPG Home Old Cartoon by Dean Alston of the West Australian - https://thewest.com.au/opinion/dean-alston https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1542798798480-ZIGC7JHZDB1A3VOSEZYT/nasa-43980-unsplash.jpg Home Old - INESCAPABLE DUST Four years after President Kennedy announced the challenge to land a man on the Moon and return him safely to Earth, the April 1965 IAU-NASA Symposium "The Nature of the Lunar Surface" agreed that it would be safe to land on the dust of the Moon, and four years later Apollo 11 proved it. Noel Hinners (NASA Oral History, 2010) described the reaction to Ranger photos of a big rock sitting calmly on the surface and not sinking out of sight. So thus anybody in his right mind would conclude that the bearing strength of the lunar surface was not an issue..... What’s the problem? Most of us dismissed that concern." By 1966 the need to include a dust detector was dismissed, as the caveat about bearing strength became forgotten among the thousands of issues to be resolved, and "dismiss dust" became the general belief. The Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) Apollo 11 Preliminary Science Report chose to misinterpret the measurements. The belief in dismissal of dust became a mindset, distorting decisions. (see THE DUST STORY). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b8ba99bb27e39d51b807b37/1550921675337-OUKVCU32NCNPY55BSUNZ/Apollo+12+DDE+with+1+cent+O%27Brien+label+1968+2008+copy.jpg Home Old