NASA last week moved its NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft into a circular orbit
round the asteroid Eros, just 35 kilometres from its centre. That’s 30 per cent
closer than its previous 50-kilometre orbit, and will give the sharpest photos
of the surface yet, highlighting differences between boulders which suggest they
might have different compositions. The new orbit will also let scientists map
its gravity to see if its density is uniform—crucial if the probe is to
come still closer without crashing.
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