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.

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