COMPANIES:

• Jet Propulsion Laboratory

LOCATIONS:

NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL), Pasedena CA

POSITIONS:

Robin worked on a number of JPL's premiere programs including Galileo (mission to Jupiter), Cassini (mission to Saturn), and, more recently, on Juno (mission to Jupiter) by developing radiation environmental models that were key to the spacecraft designs. He helped develop the JPL Wide Field Planetary Camera II (WFPC II), responsible for the processing and development of several well-known Hubble photographs based on WFPC II images- in particular, the iconic picture of the Shoemaker-Levy comet impact on Jupiter. Robin also developed methods for identifying faint asteroids in the Hubble photos that are now being exploited by others to discover numerous small asteroids.

COMMENTS:

Robin Wayne Evans was born on March 15, 1949, in Lakeview, Oregon, Robin’s life was marked by an insatiable curiosity, a love for science, and a deep connection to nature.

As a child, Robin settled in Sacramento, California, with his family. He pursued his passion for learning, earning bachelor’s degrees in physics and mathematics from California State University, Sacramento, CA, USA, and the master’s and Ph.D. degrees in physics and Radio Astronomy from the University of California, Davis, CA, USA – “Microwave Studies of Hot Intracluster Gas”. He conducted groundbreaking research at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory. He taught Physics and Astronomy at the California State University from 1979 to 1985.

Robin’s career as an astrophysicist took him to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, where he worked under contract from 1986 until his passing in 2024. Over his 38-year career at JPL, Robin worked on a number of JPL’s premier programs including Galileo (mission to Jupiter), Cassini (mission to Saturn), and, more recently, on Juno (mission to Jupiter) by developing radiation environmental models that were key to the spacecraft designs. He helped develop the JPL Wide Field Planetary Camera II (WFPC II), which was the key camera for the Hubble Space Telescope repair mission. Robin was responsible for the processing and development of several well-known Hubble photographs based on WFPC II images- in particular, the iconic picture of the Shoemaker-Levy comet impact on Jupiter. Robin also developed methods for identifying faint asteroids in the Hubble photos that are now being exploited by others to discover numerous small asteroids.

He further modeled natural space environments then applied models to spacecraft, analyzed ground based astronomy images, did astronomy with the Hubble Space Telescope, and tracked space debris. He has well over a a hundred published articles of his research. He also volunteered as a speaker for JPL’s public outreach in schools and other organizations.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Robin enjoyed photography and found joy in the natural world. He cherished kayaking the American River in Sacramento, California with his close-knit group of Royak friends, exploring caves, panning for gold, and seeking out total solar eclipses. The big island of Hawaii held a special place in his heart, a testament to his adventurous spirit and love of discovery. Robin also found immense joy in recreational flying. He earned his pilot’s license early on and often piloted a Cessna 152 or 172, embarking on journeys to Oregon and other destinations, embracing the freedom and perspective only the skies could provide.

Robin will be remembered as a brilliant mind, a kind and generous soul, and an explorer of both the earth and the heavens.

Organizations, Affiliations, Societies:
Sigma Xi, American Astronomical Society, American Geophysical Union, The Planetary Society

The T-shirts Robin was most often seen wearing during his casual time, shared his intellect, humor and joy of travel to experience the beauty of nature including celestial events and space-related locations and monuments. Among his notable T-shirt slogans were: “As a Matter of Fact, I am a Rocket Scientist” and “Stop Global Whining!”