Chapter 59 - NASA Spacecraft Orbits Eros Asteroid (Patreon)

USA: NASA SPACE CRAFT ORBITS EROS ASTEROID

(14 Feb 2000) English/Nat A NASA space craft has become the first ever to orbit an asteroid. The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous achieved its objective on Valentines day, more than four years after its launch. Its purpose is to gather data which will help scientists combat any future threat of an asteroid striking Earth. After a near-flawless rocket firing, a robot craft today became the first spacecraft to orbit an asteroid, settling into a Valentine's Day rendezvous with a space rock named after the Greek god of love - Eros. The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft automatically fired for 57 seconds and then sent signalled success to Earth. The 224 (m) million U-S dollar NEAR mission was launched Feb. 17, 1996. The craft was supposed to have gone into an orbit of Eros in January 1999, but it malfunctioned after a rocket firing that was to have aimed the spacecraft at the asteroid was shut down automatically. NEAR sped past Eros, capturing photos as it went. Then, for reasons still not understood, the craft went out of control and lost contact with Earth for more than 24 hours. The craft apparently went into wild gyrations and burned about 20 percent of its fuel before it righted itself. With just 10 minutes of power left, NEAR finally was able to aim its solar panels at the sun again and start charging its battery. Engineers regained control and plotted a new course. NEAR and Eros circled the sun for a year in separate orbits, a series of rocket firings has now brought them close again. During its mission, NEAR will descend slowly into lower and lower orbits until late in the year, when the craft may actually brush Eros. SOUNDBITE: (English) "Ok, I think I can make a statement now that the NEAR spacecraft is in orbit around the asteroid Eros, this is the first time that any spacecraft has orbited a small body" SUPER CAPTION: Robert Farquhar, Mission Director Eros, a potato-shaped rock, is 21 miles long and eight miles wide. NEAR has five instruments, including a powerful camera, that will map and probe every surface inch of Eros. The instruments will measure density, chemical composition and magnetic fields. The camera will send back photos in different spectra, in black-and-white and color. Although Eros poses no threat to Earth, what is learned about it could help scientists and engineers learn how to combat any dangerous asteroid that threatens the planet. Eros is the second largest of more than 800 Near Earth asteroids, space rocks that cross Earth's orbit. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/4e2a943a630a7c8666c64690870c1a1d