The true nature of Eros becomes a bit clearer — literally — as NEAR Shoemaker moves into a lower orbit this weekend.
Shortly after 9 p.m. (EST) on Saturday, April 1, the spacecraft will fire its thrusters for about 40 seconds and begin gradually descending into position to start a 62-mile (100-kilometer) orbit on April 11.
Since March 3, NEAR Shoemaker has been in a nearly circular orbit some 127 miles (205 kilometers) from the center of Eros. NEAR team members say halving the spacecraft's distance to the rotating space rock will yield sharper images of the abundant geological features on the asteroid's surface, giving them a chance to learn more about the relationship between the many ridges, grooves and craters.
Earlier than expected, the team is also gathering information on the asteroid's elemental makeup. With the help of three solar flares on March 22 and 23, the spacecraft's X-Ray/Gamma Ray Spectrometer (XGRS) picked up additional fluorescent "signatures" of magnesium, aluminum, silicon, calcium and iron on the Eros surface.
