Results & Conclusion
In this section we will discuss the future of NEAR how it has changed our views on asteroids and the possibility of an Extinction Level Event or a devastating impact on Earth.
At the conclusion of the NEAR mission much was learned and even more was observed. While the NEAR Shoemaker’s yearlong orbit of Eros was mostly a data-gathering-period, now that it is over scientists have had the chance to begin to closely study the immense amount of data that was collected. Though analysis of this data will go on for years much of the NEAR team are moving on to new adventures.
As for future NEAR missions no plans to return to Eros are in the works since so many of the most important questions about asteroids were answered on the Shoemaker mission. As was discussed in the background section of this site NEAR was the first launch in NASA’s Discovery Program other launches were the Mars Pathfinder, Lunar Prospector, and the Stardust mission. Among the more resent Discovery missions are; the Genesis that landed in August 2004 according to (http://discovery.nasa.gov/genesis.html) that’s objective was to enrich our understanding of the birth and evolution of the planets and all the bodies in the solar system. The Contour mission, however, was not as successful. Sixteen days after the launch the spacecraft was reportedly slit into peaces during a planned maneuver that was intended to propel it out of Earth orbit and into its comet-chasing solar orbit. (http://discovery.nasa.gov/contour.html) The Deep Impact mission whose launch window begins December 30, 2004 will send a large copper projectile into the path of a comet. The resulting impact will create a huge crater and reveal never before seen materials with clues to the internal composition and structure of a comet. (http://discovery.nasa.gov/deepimpact.html) As for other future Discovery missions the Dawn mission will undertake a journey in both space and time by traveling to the two oldest and most massive asteroids in our solar system, Vesta and Ceres. By observing both minor planets with the same set of instruments, Dawn will provide new answers to questions about the formation and evolution of the early solar system. (http://discovery.nasa.gov/dawn.html) Looking even farther into the future the Kepler mission set for a 2007 launch is designed to find Earth-size planets in orbit around stars like our Sun outside of the solar system. (http://discovery.nasa.gov/kepler.html)
As for a possible asteroid coming towards Earth the NEAR mission has given us some critical information in that regard. For example if an asteroid was threatening our planet it may be decided to deflect the asteroid. To do this one must know the exact center of the asteroid since an off center push would send the asteroid spinning. Also to do this one must know the mechanical strength of the asteroid so not to push it away so hard that it would break into small pieces. NEAR will measure or put a limit on density variations within the asteroid. NEAR data may also allow an inference of surface strength in the regolith. So far, NEAR data clearly indicate that Eros is a consolidated object, not a loosely bound "rubble pile" of much smaller pieces.
