THIS DAY IN SPACE

NEAR Shoemaker Lands on Eros
On February 7, 2001, NASA's NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft achieved a groundbreaking milestone by becoming the first human-made object to land on an asteroid—Eros. Launched in 1996, the NEAR (Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous) mission was designed to study the composition, morphology, and internal structure of asteroids. After successfully orbiting Eros for nearly a year and sending back high-resolution images and data, mission engineers took a bold step. Although not originally designed for landing, NEAR Shoemaker executed a controlled descent onto Eros, touching down at a gentle speed of about 1.5 meters per second. The spacecraft astonishingly remained operational after landing and continued to transmit valuable data for more than two weeks. The successful landing marked a historic moment in planetary science and demonstrated NASA’s ability to precisely navigate and control spacecraft in the challenging environment of a small celestial body with weak gravity. NEAR's findings provided unprecedented insights into Eros’s composition, surface features, and geological history, offering clues about the early solar system and the origins of asteroids. The mission set the stage for later asteroid missions, including Japan’s Hayabusa and NASA’s OSIRIS-REx, both of which aimed to return samples from near-Earth asteroids. NEAR Shoemaker’s success remains a landmark in robotic exploration.

STS-63: First Shuttle Rendezvous with Mir
On February 7, 1995, NASA’s Space Shuttle Discovery, on mission STS-63, achieved a historic milestone by performing the first rendezvous with the Russian space station Mir. Commanded by James D. Wetherbee and piloted by Eileen Collins—the first woman to pilot a U.S. spacecraft—the shuttle approached within about 10 meters of Mir, demonstrating the feasibility of future docking missions. This flight was a precursor to the Shuttle-Mir program, which aimed to foster cooperation between the United States and Russia in space exploration after the Cold War. The mission symbolized a new era of international collaboration in space and laid the groundwork for the eventual construction of the International Space Station (ISS). During the mission, the crew also conducted microgravity experiments, technology demonstrations, and released a Spartan free-flying science satellite. Despite minor technical challenges—including a problem with the rendezvous radar and initial docking approach—the mission was considered a complete success. The image of the shuttle hovering near Mir remains one of the most iconic visuals of the era. STS-63 was pivotal in building trust and operational compatibility between the two former space rivals, marking a diplomatic and technological leap forward in joint human spaceflight efforts that continues to shape international space missions today.