Jan 2002
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002jhatd..23...18d&link_type=abstract
Johns Hopkins APL Technical Digest, Vol. 23, No. 1, p. 18 - 33 (January - March 2002). In: NEAR Shoemaker at Eros
Other
2
Space Missions, Minor Planets
Scientific paper
The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft took 4 years from launch until it became the first spacecraft to orbit an asteroid in February 2000. A month later, the spacecraft was re-christened NEAR Shoemaker to honor the late Eugene Shoemaker. To save launch costs, the mission used a special 2-year-period trajectory with an Earth gravity assist. On the way, the spacecraft imaged the asteroid 253 Mathilde. On 20 December 1998, NEAR's large engine misfired, failing to brake it for entry into orbit about 433 Eros. Another attempt 2 weeks later succeeded, but the spacecraft was almost a million kilometers away and took over a year to reach the asteroid. The mission was recovered thanks to a generous fuel supply and robust contingency planning. The implementation of the spacecraft's daring orbital maneuvers is described, including those used to land on Eros' surface in February 2001.
Dunham David W.
Farquhar Robert W.
McAdams James V.
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