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NEAR spacecraft at Eros asteroid, illustration
NEAR spacecraft at Eros asteroid, illustration. Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft at the asteroid Eros. NEAR was the first mission in NASA's Discovery programme of small, low-cost spacecraft. Launched in February 1996, NEAR first flew by asteroid 253 Mathilde (1997) before entering orbit around 433 Eros in 1999. NEAR conducted a 10-month survey of the asteroid using visible light cameras, infrared and X-ray spectrometers and a laser altimeter. Image published in 1996.
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