1997-06-27 flyby

NEAR flies past asteroid Mathilde

Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › Type: Flyby

Mission: NEAR Shoemaker

NEAR observed Mathilde during its journey toward Eros.

2000-02-14 orbital insertion

NEAR enters orbit around Eros

Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › Type: Orbit insertion

Mission: NEAR Shoemaker

NEAR entered Eros orbit at 15:33 UT, beginning sustained close-range observations.

2001-02-12 landing

NEAR Shoemaker lands on Eros

Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › Type: Landing

Mission: NEAR Shoemaker

NEAR Shoemaker touched down on Eros at 19:44 UT and continued returning data.

2001-02-28 mission end

Last contact with NEAR Shoemaker

Controllers received the final communication from NEAR Shoemaker on Eros.

2011-03-18 orbital insertion

MESSENGER enters orbit around Mercury

Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › Type: Orbit insertion

Mission: MESSENGER

MESSENGER entered Mercury orbit at 00:45 UT.

2011-07-16 orbital insertion

Dawn enters orbit around Vesta

Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › Type: Orbit insertion

Mission: Dawn

Dawn used ion propulsion to enter orbit around Vesta.

2015-03-06 orbital insertion

Dawn enters orbit around Ceres

Category: Mission Operations and Milestones › Type: Orbit insertion

Mission: Dawn

Dawn reached Ceres orbit after its earlier orbital investigation of Vesta.

2015-04-30 mission end

MESSENGER impacts Mercury

MESSENGER struck Mercury at 19:26 UT after exhausting its propellant.