NASA's Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft will be launched aboard a McDonnell Douglas Delta 2 booster from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on 16 February. The NEAR will enter orbit around the asteroid Eros in 1999 (Flight International, 17-23 January). Also planned for 16 February launches are China's first Long March 3B, carrying the Intelsat 708 satellite; and a Russian Proton, carrying a Raduga spacecraft. A Tsyklon will be launched on 19 February carrying a Gonets communications satellite.
Source: Flight International
