NASA's Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous NEAR spacecraft is approaching the asteroid Eros for the second time. The first rendezvous attempt was thwarted by a spacecraft fault in December 1998. It is hoped that the NEAR will be in orbit around Eros on 14 February. The craft is sending back images of the elongated rock body.
Source: Flight International
Orbital launch pioneer SpaceX is being contracted by the American space agency NASA to develop a so-called “US Deorbit Vehicle” that can safely return the International Space Station to Earth via controlled re-entry.
BAE Systems has completed its acquisition of Ball Aerospace, with the move further strengthening its US business presence.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has retired its Mars helicopter Ingenuity after the craft suffered damage upon landing.
