Brian John O'Brien (27 February 1934 – 7 August 2020) was an Australian physicist and space scientist. He is best known for his "research into lunar dust and the challenges it presents for exploration of the Moon." He "highlighted how hazardous it was for astronauts and their equipment." Five experiments designed by him were placed on the Moon by the

Apollo 11 Apollo 11 was a spaceflight conducted from July 16 to 24, 1969, by the United States and launched by NASA. It marked the first time that humans Moon landing, landed on the Moon. Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module pilot Buzz Aldrin l ...

Mission. One measured radiation, the others were concerned with Moon dust. O'Brien also designed the

Charged Particle Lunar Environment Experiment The Charged Particle Lunar Environment Experiment (CPLEE), placed on the lunar surface by the Apollo 14 mission as part of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP), was designed to measure the energy spectra of low-energy charged part ...

(CPLEE), placed on the lunar surface by the

Apollo 14 Apollo 14 (January 31February 9, 1971) was the eighth crewed mission in the United States Apollo program, the third to Moon landing, land on the Moon, and the first to land in the Geology of the Moon#Highlands, lunar highlands. It was the las ...

mission as part of the

Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package The Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) comprised a set of scientific instruments placed by the astronauts at the landing site of each of the five Apollo program, Apollo missions to land on the Moon following Apollo 11 (Apollos Apol ...

(ALSEP). After studying physics at

Sydney University The University of Sydney (USYD) is a public university, public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities, it was one of the ...

, O'Brien worked as a physicist in Antarctica. There he saw the aurora australis, which led to his space career. He was a NASA principal investigator. For his radiation experiment, he was awarded the NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement. He was the first Australian so awarded. O'Brien was a professor of space science at

Rice University William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University, is a Private university, private research university in Houston, Houston, Texas, United States. Established in 1912, the university spans 300 acres. Rice University comp ...

, Houston, from 1963 to 1968, and adjunct professor of physics at the

University of Western Australia University of Western Australia (UWA) is a public research university in the Australian state of Western Australia. The university's main campus is in Crawley, Western Australia, Crawley, a suburb in the City of Perth local government area. UW ...

from 2009 until 2020. He later moved to Perth with his wife, Avril, and headed the Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia. O'Brien was elected a Fellow of the

Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering The Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) is an independent learned academy that helps Australians understand and use technology to solve complex problems. History The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences was foun ...

(FTSE) in 1993. He died on 7 August 2020, aged 86. Originally published in ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' O'Brien was posthumously made an

Officer of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...

(AO) in the

2021 Australia Day Honours The 2021 Australia Day Honours are appointments Australian honours system, to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by Australian citizens. The list was announced on 26 January 2021 by the Governor General of Australia, Da ...

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:OBrien, Brian 2020 deaths 1934 births Australian physicists Australian scientists Rice University faculty Fellows of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering Officers of the Order of Australia