Expand sub-menus

Dr. Brook Lakew

Photo of BROOK LAKEW

Dr. Brook Lakew

  • 301.286.1111
  • NASA/GSFC
  • Mail Code: 690
  • Greenbelt , MD 20771
  • Employer: EMERITUS

    • Current Projects

    Space-borne instruments focal plane assembly development

    Magnesium Diboride Detector Array (MDA) Development for Infrared Instruments on Future Missions to the Outer Planets and their Icy Moons.

    Served as Principal Investigator for the following projects

    • "Cryogen free cooled IR focal plane detector for infrared instruments on the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO)" project
    • "High Temperature Superconducting detector characterization with low Tc SQUID" project.
    • "Development of HTS and MgB2 detectors on monolithic sapphire membranes for future planetary exploration missions" project.

    Research Interests

    Infrared instruments for future planetary exploration missions

    Technology investments and future planetary missions planning. Infrared astronomy. Development of mid and far-infrared sensors for the exploration of the outer planets and their icy moons.

    Overall chair: International NASA Workshop on "Instrumentation for Planetary Missions"- IPM-2012

    Overall chair: 2nd International NASA Workshop on "Instrumentation for Planetary Missions" - IPM-2014

    Founder and lead: Planetary CubeSats Science Institute (PCSI) at NASA - Goddard

    Keynote presentation given at the "Planetary Exploration 2061" International Workshop (Lausanne, Switzerland, April 2018) on technologies needed to explore our Solar System planets by the year 2050: https://planetaryexploration2061.epfl.ch/page-155102-fr.html

    Research Experience:

    Cassini Mission to Saturn (1991-97): Development and characterization of flight Far Infrared (IR) detectors for the Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) instrument on board the Cassini spacecraft. Cassini arrived at Saturn on July 1, 2004.

    COBE Mission (1985-1989): Study the effects of ionizing radiation on the InSb, Ge: Ga focal plane IR sensors on board the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) (launched 1989).

    Cooled focal plane sensor arrays for a possible Infrared instrument on the reformulated Jupiter Europa Orbiter (JEO) mission

     

    Positions/Employment

    2010 - Present

    Associate Director for Mission Planning, Research and Development, Solar System Exploration Division

    NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center
    2008 - 2010

    Deputy Chief of the Planetary Systems Laboratory

    NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center
    1999 - 2008

    Astrophysicist, Planetary Systems Laboratory

    NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center
    1995 - 1999

    Senior Scientist

    Raytheon Corp, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
    1992 - 1995

    Chief, Flight Instruments Section

    Hughes Aircraft Corp, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
    1984 - 1992

    Space Scientist

    STX Corp, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

    Education

    Ph.D., Physical Chemistry (with focus on physics of surfaces), University of Paris, 1982.

    Other Professional Information

    Science committee chair: International Workshop on "Instrumentation for Planetary Missions", IPM - 2012 and IPM 2014. More at: http://ssed.gsfc.nasa.gov/IPM/sci_comm.html

    NASA- Goddard Senior Fellow since Feb 2016 : https://seniorfellows.gsfc.nasa.gov/senior-fellows.html

    Selected Publications

    Refereed

    Aslam, S., M. Amato, N. Bowles, et al. S. Calcutt, T. Hewagama, J. Howard, C. Howett, W.-T. Hsieh, T. Hurford, J. Hurley, P. Irwin, D. E. Jennings, E. Kessler, B. Lakew, M. Loeffler, M. Mellon, A. Nicoletti, C. A. Nixon, N. Putzig, G. Quilligan, J. Rathbun, M. Segura, J. Spencer, J. Spitale, and G. West. 2016. "Dual-telescope multi-channel thermal-infrared radiometer for outer planet fly-by missions." Acta Astronautica, 128: 628-639 [10.1016/j.actaastro.2016.08.009]

    Lakew, B., S. Aslam, J. C. Brasunas, et al. N. Cao, N. Costen, A. La, L. Nguyen, T. Stevenson, and A. Waczynski. 2012. "MgB2 thin-film bolometer for applications in far-infrared instruments on future planetary missions." Physica C , 483: 119-126.

    Lakew, B., S. Aslam, H. Jones, T. Stevenson, and N. Cao. 2010. "1/f noise in the superconducting transition of a MgB2 thin film." Physica C, Superconductivity., 470 (9-10): 451-455.

    Aslam, S., H. Jones, and B. Lakew. 2007. "“Low-frequency noise measurements of high-Tc superconducting films: effect of DC capacitor in experimental setup”." Electronics Letters, 43 (23):

    Lakew, B., S. Aslam, H. H. Jones, et al. B. Moeckly, J. C. Brasunas, and D. Franz. 2006. "Effects of ionizing radiation on noise in MgB2 thin films- a candidate material for detectors for post-Cassini planetary missions." Physica C, 440: 1-5.

    Brasunas, J. C., and B. Lakew. 2004. "Long-term stability of the Cassini Fourier transform spectrometer en route to Saturn." Research and Development in Optics, 4 (95): 113.

    Lakew, B., J. Brasunas, S. Aslam, and D. E. Pugel. 2004. "Transition-edge superconducting (TES) bolometer on monolithic sapphire membrane - construction and performance." Sensors & Actuators A,

    Nixon, C. A., J. C. Brasunas, B. Lakew, et al. R. K. Fettig, D. E. Jennings, R. C. Carlson, and V. G. Kunde. 2003. "In-flight Far-Infrared Performance of the CIRS Instrument on Cassini."

    Brasunas, J., B. Lakew, and R. Fettig. 2001. "A comment on the reported detectivity of a new uncooled thermal infrared detector." Sensors and Actuators A, 3159:

    Lakew, B., J. Brasunas, A. Pique, et al. R. Fettig, B. Mott, S. Babu, and G. Cushman. 2000. "High Tc superconducting bolometer on chemically etched 7 μm thick sapphire." Physica C, C329: 69-74.

    Brasunas, J., and B. Lakew. 1994. "High Tc Superconductor Bolometer with Record Performance." Appl Phy Lett, 64: 6.

    Brasunas, J., and B. Lakew. 1992. "High Temperature Superconducting Magnetic Susceptibility Bolometer." C lee, J. App. Phys.: 3639.

    Brasunas, J., and B. Lakew. 1991. "High Tc Bolometer development for Planetary Missions." SPIE, 1477: 166.

    Brasunas, J., V. Kunde, H. Moseley, and B. Lakew. 1990. "Upcoming Planetary Mission and the Applicability of High Tc Superconductor Bolometers." SPIE, 1292: 155.

    Non-Refereed

    Lakew, B., and J. C. Brasunas. 2003. "Recent advances in high and mid temperature superconducting thin films for infrared sensor applications." Proc. International Workshop on Thermal Detectors (TDW03) Washington DC, USA, 4-1.

    Lakew, B., and J. C. Brasunas. 1990. "Progress in the Development of High Tc Superconducting IR Bolometers." Paper Presented at the 2nd World Congress on Superconductivity Houston, TX.

    Selected Publications

    Refereed

    Aslam, S., M. Amato, N. Bowles, et al. S. Calcutt, T. Hewagama, J. Howard, C. Howett, W.-T. Hsieh, T. Hurford, J. Hurley, P. Irwin, D. E. Jennings, E. Kessler, B. Lakew, M. Loeffler, M. Mellon, A. Nicoletti, C. A. Nixon, N. Putzig, G. Quilligan, J. Rathbun, M. Segura, J. Spencer, J. Spitale, and G. West. 2016. "Dual-telescope multi-channel thermal-infrared radiometer for outer planet fly-by missions." Acta Astronautica 128 628-639 [10.1016/j.actaastro.2016.08.009]

    Lakew, B., S. Aslam, J. C. Brasunas, et al. N. Cao, N. Costen, A. La, L. Nguyen, T. Stevenson, and A. Waczynski. 2012. "MgB2 thin-film bolometer for applications in far-infrared instruments on future planetary missions." Physica C 483 119-126

    Lakew, B., S. Aslam, H. Jones, T. Stevenson, and N. Cao. 2010. "1/f noise in the superconducting transition of a MgB2 thin film." Physica C, Superconductivity. 470 (9-10): 451-455

    Aslam, S., H. Jones, and B. Lakew. 2007. "“Low-frequency noise measurements of high-Tc superconducting films: effect of DC capacitor in experimental setup”." Electronics Letters 43 (23):

    Lakew, B., S. Aslam, H. H. Jones, et al. B. Moeckly, J. C. Brasunas, and D. Franz. 2006. "Effects of ionizing radiation on noise in MgB2 thin films- a candidate material for detectors for post-Cassini planetary missions." Physica C 440 1-5

    Brasunas, J. C., and B. Lakew. 2004. "Long-term stability of the Cassini Fourier transform spectrometer en route to Saturn." Research and Development in Optics 4 (95): 113

    Lakew, B., J. Brasunas, S. Aslam, and D. E. Pugel. 2004. "Transition-edge superconducting (TES) bolometer on monolithic sapphire membrane - construction and performance." Sensors & Actuators A

    Nixon, C. A., J. C. Brasunas, B. Lakew, et al. R. K. Fettig, D. E. Jennings, R. C. Carlson, and V. G. Kunde. 2003. "In-flight Far-Infrared Performance of the CIRS Instrument on Cassini."

    Brasunas, J., B. Lakew, and R. Fettig. 2001. "A comment on the reported detectivity of a new uncooled thermal infrared detector." Sensors and Actuators A 3159

    Lakew, B., J. Brasunas, A. Pique, et al. R. Fettig, B. Mott, S. Babu, and G. Cushman. 2000. "High Tc superconducting bolometer on chemically etched 7 μm thick sapphire." Physica C C329 69-74

    Brasunas, J., and B. Lakew. 1994. "High Tc Superconductor Bolometer with Record Performance." Appl Phy Lett 64 6

    Brasunas, J., and B. Lakew. 1992. "High Temperature Superconducting Magnetic Susceptibility Bolometer." C lee J. App. Phys. 3639

    Brasunas, J., and B. Lakew. 1991. "High Tc Bolometer development for Planetary Missions." SPIE 1477 166

    Brasunas, J., V. Kunde, H. Moseley, and B. Lakew. 1990. "Upcoming Planetary Mission and the Applicability of High Tc Superconductor Bolometers." SPIE 1292 155

    Non-Refereed

    Lakew, B., and J. C. Brasunas. 2003. "Recent advances in high and mid temperature superconducting thin films for infrared sensor applications." Proc. International Workshop on Thermal Detectors (TDW03) 4-1

    Lakew, B., and J. C. Brasunas. 1990. "Progress in the Development of High Tc Superconducting IR Bolometers." Paper Presented at the 2nd World Congress on Superconductivity

                                                                                                                                                                                            
    NASA Logo, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    • NASA Official:
    • Curator:
    • Last Updated: 09/25/2023