The Spacecraft That Wasn't Designed To Land, But Did

The video discusses the Near Shoemaker mission, part of NASA's Discovery program, which aimed to explore the asteroid Eros. Despite a limited budget and time, the mission achieved significant scientific discoveries, including the first mass estimation of an asteroid and detecting a gamma ray burst. Near Shoemaker faced challenges, such as an engine misfire, but successfully orbited and landed on Eros, providing valuable data. The mission demonstrated the potential of cost-effective space exploration and paved the way for future asteroid missions.

What was the significance of the spacecraft's landing on the asteroid?

How did the mission contribute to our understanding of asteroids?

In what ways did the Near Shoemaker mission pave the way for future missions?