Touchdown Site on Asteroid Eros
Explanation:
The first controlled descent of a spacecraft onto an
asteroid is
scheduled to occur next week.
The
robot spacecraft NEAR-Shoemaker
has been orbiting asteroid Eros for
nearly one year
On February 12, before maneuvering fuel wanes,
NASA will command the craft to
descend right down onto the surface.
Although the spacecraft is not expected to survive the impact,
it is hoped that it can transmit photographs showing
surface details as small as
10 centimeters during the descent.
The touchdown site,
shown above by the yellow circle,
is on the edge of the large saddle shaped feature known as
Himeros,
and near the boundary between two distinct types of
surface terrain.
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.
