First Landing on an Asteroid
Date: 12 Feb 2001

This is the last image of asteroid 433 Eros received from NEAR Shoemaker. Taken from a range of 120 m (394 feet), it measures 6 m (20 feet) across. What we can see of the rock at the top of image measures 4 m (12 feet) across. The streaky lines at the bottom indicate loss of signal as the spacecraft touched down on the asteroid during transmission of this image.


This was the first time a spacecraft landed on an asteroid.


Last Update: 16 Jun 2011 (AMB)

Credit: NASA/JPL/JHUAPL