NEAR to Asteroid Eros
Explanation:
On December 23, 1998 the
Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous
(NEAR) spacecraft flew by asteroid
433 Eros.
The robotic
spacecraft
was intended to brake and orbit Eros, but
an
unexpected shutdown
of its main engine caused this plan to be aborted.
Now closing with the asteroid again,
NEAR will make another attempt to
enter
Eros'
orbit on
February 14th ... Valentine's Day, of course!
A successful encounter would make NEAR the first spacecraft
ever to orbit
an
asteroid.
This
image sequence was taken as NEAR approached Eros in 1998.
The rotation of the
asteroid is visible in the successive frames.
While cruising through the solar system, NEAR
has also been
hunting
for gamma-ray bursts as part of the operational
Interplanetary Network.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
