First orbit of an asteroid

On 14/02/2000, NASA’s NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft became the first human made object to enter orbit around an asteroid when it successfully reached 433 Eros. The spacecraft executed an orbital insertion maneuver that allowed it to be captured by the asteroid’s weak gravity, beginning detailed observations from orbit. Eros is an S type near Earth asteroid measuring about 34 by 11 by 11 kilometers, making it one of the largest near Earth asteroids studied up close. The Valentine’s Day orbital insertion coincided with the asteroid’s name, derived from the Greek god of love. The mission’s objective was to study the asteroid’s size, shape, mass, density, and surface composition. From orbit, NEAR Shoemaker mapped the irregular elongated shape of Eros, measured its gravitational field, and captured high resolution images of craters, ridges, and boulder covered terrain. The spacecraft also analyzed elemental composition using spectrometers, helping scientists compare asteroid material with meteorites found on Earth. Observations showed that Eros has a fractured surface covered with regolith and numerous impact features. NEAR Shoemaker remained in orbit for nearly a year, gradually lowering its altitude to conduct detailed mapping. On 12/02/2001, the mission concluded with a controlled descent to the surface, becoming the first spacecraft to land on an asteroid. The 14/02/2000 orbital insertion marked the first sustained exploration of an asteroid from orbit and provided key data about small body formation in the early solar system.