⏰ when
When was the first spacecraft to visit an asteroid launched?
Quick Answer
NEAR Shoemaker launched on 17 February 1996 and later became the first spacecraft to orbit and land on an asteroid.
The Full Story
NEAR Shoemaker launched on 17 February 1996 to study near-Earth asteroid Eros. It became the first spacecraft to orbit an asteroid in 2000 and later made a controlled landing on Eros in 2001. The mission provided detailed data about asteroid shape, composition, and gravity. It showed that small bodies can be explored up close by spacecraft.
Key Facts
1.Launch date: 17 February 1996
2.Target: asteroid Eros
3.First asteroid orbit and landing
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"The spacecraft that landed on an asteroid by accident—then on purpose"
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