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Nose-to-Nose With An Asteroid
Laurel - January 28, 2001 The NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft made history once again today when it brushed over the "toe" end of Eros, less than two miles (2.74 kilometers) from its surface, at 5:41 a.m. EST (ground receive time). The daring pass-the closest any spacecraft has come to an asteroid-marked the conclusion of a 4-day series of low-altitude flyovers that is returning extraordinarily detailed images of the asteroid's surface. The low pass sequence ended this afternoon at 1:22 p.m. EST (ground receive time), when a 3.8-second burst from the spacecraft's 5-pound thrusters pulled it away from its breathtaking vantage point, and back toward an orbit 22 miles (35 kilometers) above the asteroid. There it will remain circling Eros until a maneuver on Feb. 12 pulls the spacecraft out of orbit and into position for its descent to the asteroid. Several more engine burns will slow NEAR Shoemaker's descent, allowing it to settle on to the asteroid's surface at about 3 p.m. EST. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links NEAR Mission SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express Space
Satellite Launch To Boost DTH In India
Calcutta, India (SPX) Dec 28, 2005The successful launch Thursday of India's heaviest satellite from spaceport of Kourou in French Guyana may have boosted the country's space research efforts to yet another level, but it has also lifted the spirits of at least three Direct-To-Home televisions broadcasters, one of which has been waiting for years to launch its services in India. |
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