Delta 7925-8
SuccessNEAR Shoemaker · United States Air Force
Launch time (NET)
Saturday, Feb 17, 1996, 20:43 UTC
Launch window
Saturday, Feb 17, 1996, 20:43 UTC – Saturday, Feb 17, 1996, 20:43 UTC
Provider
United States Air Force
Rocket
Launch pad
Space Launch Complex 17B, Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA · Open map
Status
Success
The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payload(s) into the target orbit(s).
Mission
NEAR Shoemaker
Type
Planetary Science
Orbit
Heliocentric N/A (Helio-N/A)
NEAR (Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous) was a mission to rendezvous and orbit around an near earth asteroid (433 Eros). On the cruise to Eros, it flew by asteroid 253 Mathilde on 27 Jun 1997 and flew by earth on 23 January 1998. After failing to insert itself into Eros' orbit in January 1999, NEAR finally inserted itself into orbit around the asteroid on the second try on 14 February 2000. Initially in a 323 km × 370 km orbit, it lowered its altitude during observation. After reaching orbit, NEAR was renamed NEAR-Shoemaker.
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