One of the six science instruments has failed aboard NASA's Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) Shoemaker satellite orbiting the asteroid Eros. The near-infrared spectrometer, which failed temporarily in May 1999, has malfunctioned again. The other five instruments aboard the spacecraft are working well as NEAR monitors the asteroid from a low orbit, taking spectacular images of the elongated asteroid, including the one pictured below.

4404

Source: Flight International

Topics