NEAR Shoemaker

1996 robotic space probe that landed on asteroid 433 Eros in 2001. NEAR Shoemaker was launched on February 17, 1996 aboard a Delta 7925-8 from Cape Canaveral & Kennedy. Latest status in GCAT: left Earth orbit for deep space (Feb 18, 1996).

COSPAR 1996-008ANORAD 23784United States

Identity

Name in GCAT: NEAR Shoemaker
Payload designation: NEAR
International designator: 1996-008A
NORAD catalog number: 23784
GCAT identifier: S23784
UN registration: ST/SG/SER.E/310

Mission

Mission type: Deep space
Use: Civil government
Program: Discovery
Owner: GSFC
Country: United States
Builder: JHU-Applied Physics Lab
Platform (bus): NEAR

Launch

Date: February 17, 1996 · 20:43 UTC
Launch record: 1996-008Success
Rocket: Delta 7925-8
Spaceport: Cape Canaveral & Kennedy · pad LC17B

Orbit and fate

Orbit class (GCAT): EEO
Perigee: 184 km
Inclination: 28.50°
Status: Left Earth orbit for deep space
Status date: February 18, 1996
Last known active: Feb 28, 2001
End of operations: Feb 28, 2001

Size

Mass: 805 kg
Dry mass: 468 kg
Length: 2.8 m
Diameter: 1.50 m
Span: 5.0 m

Deep space

Deep-space catalog entry: D00719
Final central body: Earth
Phase start: January 20, 1998
Phase outcome: Flyby · January 25, 1998
Destination: HCO

Flight phases

From	Central body	Ended	Outcome	Next
Feb 18, 1996	Earth	Feb 21, 1996	Escaped to another body	HCO
Jun 27, 1997	Mathilde	Jun 27, 1997	Flyby	HCO
Dec 23, 1998	Eros	Dec 23, 1998	Flyby	HCO
Feb 11, 2000	Eros	Feb 14, 2000	Entered orbit around the target	(433) Eros
Feb 14, 2000	Eros	Feb 12, 2001	Landed	(433) Eros
Feb 12, 2001	Eros	Mar 1, 2001	Stopped transmitting on the surface	(433) Eros

Landings and impacts

World	Type	Result	Touchdown	Site	Coordinates
Eros	Orbiter, landing attempted	Landed and operated	Feb 12, 2001	—	-35.00, -279.00

Source: GCAT payload, deep-space and lander catalogs, Jonathan C. McDowell (CC BY 4.0); Wikidata Q217188 (CC0).