Peter Tsou

Peter Tsou with a sample of aerogel

Peter Tsou is a principal science staff member at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of the California Institute of Technology, where he has worked for the past 34 years.

Dr. Tsou's area of focus is utilizing aerogel for space exploration.[1]

Education

Dr. Tsou was educated at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned both his B.S. (1965) and M.S. (1966) in Electrical Engineering. He received his PhD in Large Scale Engineering Systems from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1972.[2]

Professional Experience

Since 1974, Dr. Tsou has worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, located in Pasadena, CA. He has been involved in multiple projects, most recently as Deputy Principal Investigator (PI) of STARDUST (1994-Present). Prior to this, Dr. Tsou served as PI for the MIR Sample Return Experiment (1994-1997), PI for Spacehab II Sample Return Experiment and STARDUST proposal manager (1992-1994), PI for Get Away Special Sample Return Experiment (1989-Present), instrument definition manager (1984-1990), spacecraft system engineer (1982-1990), Task Manager for the Low Cost Solar Array program (1975-1980), and a system engineer (1974-1975).[3]

Prior to his work at JPL, Dr. Tsou worked at University of California, Los Angeles, as a project manager on the Climate Impact Assessment Program of the Supersonic Transport (1970-1974), and at TRW as a technical staff member (1966-1968).

Dr. Tsou has won several NASA awards, including the NASA Patent: Large Field of View 3-D Hologram Display System (2000), NASA Group Achievement Award - STARDUST Project Team (2000), NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal (1997), JPL Inaugural Award for Excellence - Exceptional Technical Excellence (1996), and the NASA Group Achievement Award - Low Cost Solar Array Project (1985).[4]

Research

His research interests for the past two decades have concentrated on achieving a sample return of cometary coma material. He invented the technique of intact capture of hypervelocity particles for just such a mission as Stardust, the 13th proposal for a comet flyby sample return mission. Working with scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, he made the aerogel material lighter and more suitable for catching the comet particles. He has also introduced the use of aerogel as one of the capture media and flight qualified variable density aerogel for space flight.

He is the principal investigator for a series of Shuttle Sample Return Experiments and Mir Sample Return Experiment with silica aerogel he made at JPL. He continues to develop improved techniques to identify, remove and study particles captured in aerogel.

Quotes

"It's a perfect landing [...] we are jumping and applauding. I can hardly sleep. Nevertheless I had been waiting 25 years before this night." (Concerning the Stardust project)

"It has rounded the Sun for just 5 circles, that means, most of its materials are well kept at a pristine state 4.5 billion years ago." (Concerning the Stardust project)

"Aerogel has several unique properties that can provide many useful terrestrial applications."[5]