Kenneth Williams received a B.S. in Physics and Mathematics in 1977 and an M.A. degree in Physics in 1980 from Indiana State University. He has been involved in space exploration work for 13 years, beginning with such projects as the Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) and Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) at the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). In 1996, Mr. Williams joined the staff at JPL as a mission planner for the Cassini project. For the last five years, he has been a member of the Navigation and Mission Design Section and has served as the principal maneuver analyst for the Genesis mission. He also supported both the Dawn and Stardust missions and has been the Stardust Navigation Team Lead since March 2003.

Stardust Interview: Earth Return - Ensuring Success

Ken Williams, Stardust Navigation Team Chief What is the difficulty of returning to Earth? +QuickTime (download with Caption 2.8 MB) +QuickTime (download with no Caption 2.8 MB) What are some of the most important jobs you and fellow team members perform preparing for Earth return? +QuickTime (download with Caption 3.3 MB) +QuickTime (download with no Caption 3.3 MB) What are the necessary steps you take before the Sample Return Capsule release? +QuickTime (download with Caption 1.8 MB) +QuickTime (download with no Caption 1.8 MB)

Last updated October 24, 2005