Mission Information
MISSION_NAME NEAR EARTH ASTEROID RENDEZVOUS
MISSION_ALIAS NEAR
MISSION_START_DATE 1996-02-17T12:00:00.000Z
MISSION_STOP_DATE 2001-02-28T12:00:00.000Z
MISSION_DESCRIPTION
MISSION_OBJECTIVES_SUMMARY 
     Science Objectives    ==================         The overall objectives of the NEAR mission are to rendezvous        with a near-Earth asteroid, achieve orbit around such an        asteroid, and conduct the first systematic scientific        exploration of a near-Earth asteroid. NEAR studied the nature        and evolution of S-type asteroids, improved our understanding        of processes and conditions relevant to the formation of        planets in the early solar system, and clarified the        relationship between asteroids and meteorites.         Specific science questions addressed by NEAR are as follows.        What are the morphological and textural characteristics of the        asteroid surface, and how do they compare with those on larger        bodies? What is the elemental and mineralogical composition of        the asteroid? Is there evidence of compositional or structural        heterogeneity? Is the asteroid a solid fragment of a larger        parent body or a rubble pile? Is the asteroid's precursor        body(ies) primitive or differentiated? Is there evidence of        past or present cometary activity? Is the asteroid related to        a meteorite type or types? Does an intrinsic magnetic field        exist? What is it like?  Does the asteroid have any        satellites, and how might they compare with Eros?
REFERENCE_DESCRIPTION Acuna, M., C.T. Russell, L.J. Zanetti, and B.J. Anderson, The NEAR Magnetic Field Investigation: Science Objectives at Asteroid Eros 433 and Experimental Approach, Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 102(E10), pp. 23751-23760, 1997.

Bell, J., D. Davis, W. Hartmann, M. Gaffey, Asteroids: The Big Picture, in Asteroids II, R. Binzel, T. Gehrels, and M. Matthews (eds.), University of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 921-945, 1989.

Belton, Michael J.S., K.P. Klaasen, M.C. Clary, J.L. Anderson, C.D. Anger, M.H. Carr, C.R. Chapman, M.E. Davies, R. Greeley, D. Anderson, L.K. Bolef, T.E. Townsend, R. Greenberg, J.W. Head III, G. Neukum, C.B. Pilcher, J. Veverka, P.J. Gierasch, F.P. Fanale, A.P. Ingersoll, H. Masursky, D. Morrison, J.B. Pollack, The Galileo Solid-State Imaging Experiment, Vol. 60, pp. 413-455, Space Science Reviews, 1992.

Belton, M., C. Chapman, J. Veverka, K. Klaasen, A. Harch, et al., First Images of Asteroid 243 Ida, Science, Vol. 265, pp. 1543-1547, 1994.

Binzel, R., and S. Xu, Chips off of Asteroid 4 Vesta: Evidence for the Parent Body of Basaltic Achondrite Meteorites, Science, Vol. 260, pp. 186-191, 1993.

Binzel, R.P., T. Burbine, and S. Bus, Ground-Based Reconnaissance of 253 Mathilde: Visible Wavelength Spectrum and Meteorite Comparison, Icarus, Vol. 119, pp. 447-449, 1996.

Chapman, C., S-Type Asteroids, Ordinary Chondrites, and Space Weathering: The Evidence from Galileo's Flybys of Gaspra and Ida, Meteoritics and Planetary Science, Vol. 31, pp. 699-725, 1996.

Cheng, A.F., J. Veverka, C. Pilcher, and R. Farquhar, Missions to Near-Earth Objects, Hazards Due to Comets & Asteroids, T. Gehrels (ed.), University of Arizona Press, Tucson, AZ, USA, pp. 651-670, 1994.

Cheng, A.F., A. Santo, K. Heeres, J. Landshof, R. Farquhar, et al., Near-Earth Asteroid Rendezvous: Mission Overview, Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 102, pp. 23695-23708, 1997.

Cheng, A.F., R.W. Farquhar, and A.G. Santo, NEAR Overview, Johns Hopkins APL Technical Digest, Vol. 19, pp. 95-106, 1998.

Farquhar, R.W., D. Dunham, and J. McAdams, NEAR Mission Overview and Trajectory Design, Journal of Astronautical Science, Vol. 43, pp. 353-371, 1995.

Gaffey, M., T.H. Burbine, and R. Binzel, Asteroid Spectroscopy: Progress and Perspectives, Meteoritics and Planetary Science, Vol. 28, pp. 161-187, 1993.

Gaffey, M., J. Bell, R. Brown, T. Burbine, J. Piatek, et al., Mineralogic Variations Within the S-Type Asteroid Class, Icarus, Vol. 106, pp. 573-602, 1993.

Kivelson, M., L. Bargatze, K. Khurana, D. Southwood, R. Walker, and P. Coleman, Magnetic Field Signatures Near Galileo's Closest Approach to Gaspra, Science, Vol. 261, pp. 331-334, 1993.

Landshof, J.A., and A.F. Cheng, NEAR Mission and Science Operations at Eros, Journal of Astronautical Science, Vol. 43, p. 477, 1995.

McCord, T., J.B. Adams, and T.V. Johnson, Asteroid Vesta: Spectral Reflectivity and Compositional Implications, Science, Vol. 168, pp. 1445-1447, 1970.

Michel, P., P. Farinella, and C. Froeschle, The Orbital Evolution of the Asteroid Eros and Implications for Collision with the Earth, Nature, Vol. 380, pp. 689-691, 1996.

Mottola, S., W. Sears, A. Erikson, A. Harris, J. Young, et al., The Slow Rotation of 253 Mathilde, Planetary Space Science, Vol. 43, pp. 1609-1613, 1995.

Murchie, S.L., and C. Pieters, Spectral Properties and Rotational Spectral Heterogeneity of 433 Eros, Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 101, pp. 2201-2214, 1996.

Ostro, S., K. Rosema, and R. Jurgens, The Shape of Eros, Icarus, Vol. 84, pp. 334-351, 1990.

Santo, A.G., S.C. Lee, and R.E. Gold, NEAR Spacecraft and Instrumentation, The Journal of the Astronautical Sciences, Vol. 43, No. 4, pp. 373-397, October-December 1995.

Trombka, J., S. Floyd, W. Boynton, S. Bailey, J. Bruckner, S. Squyres, L. Evans, P. Clear, R. Starr, E. Fiore, R. Gold, J. Goldsten, and R. McNutt, Compositional Mapping With The Near X-ray/Gamma-ray Spectrometer, J. Geophys. Res., Vol. 102, pp. 23729-23750, 1997.

Veverka, J., J.F. Bell III, P. Thomas, A. Harch, S.L. Murchie, S.E. Hawkins III, J. Warren, E.H. Darlington, K. Peacock, C. Chapman, L. McFadden, M. Malin, and M. Robinson, An Overview Of The Near Multispectral Imager - Near-infrared Spectrometer Investigation, J. Geophys. Res., Vol. 102, pp. 23709-23727, 1997.

Yeomans, D.K., Asteroid 433 Eros: The Target Body of the NEAR Mission, Journal of Astronautical Sciences, Vol. 43, p. 417, 1995.

Yeomans, D., A.S. Konopliv, and J.-P. Barriot, The NEAR Radio Science Investigations, Journal of Geophysical Research, 102(E10), 23775, 1997.

Zellner, B., Physical Properties of Asteroid 433 Eros, Icarus, Vol. 28, pp. 149-153, 1976.

Zuber, M., D.E. Smith, A.F. Cheng, and T.D. Cole, The NEAR Laser Ranging Investigation, Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 102, pp. 23761-23773, 1997.