Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) Imaging Team

Near-Earth Asteroid Rendezvous Spacecraft

NEAR flew by C-asteroid 253 Mathilde on 27 June 1997, flew by S-asteroid 433 Eros on 23 December 1998, and then began orbiting 433 Eros on 14 February 2000. The investigation of Eros continued for almost a year and was concluded by landing the orbiter on the surface of the asteroid. MSSS President, Michael C. Malin, was a member of the NEAR Multispectral Imaging/Near Infrared Spectroscopy science team.

 
Launch: 17 February 1996 Eros Orbit Insertion: 14 February 2000 Landing & Last Contact: 12 February 2001

 

Malin Space Science Systems' Planned NEAR Investigation

Description of Mission and Instruments (1995)

September 1994 Press Release: Science Team Selection

 

NEAR Project Home Page (JHU APL) NASA NEAR NSSDC Page