<h2>AAS 95-378</h2><h2>NEAR-Eros 1996: Mission Overview and Trajectory Design</h2><h4>R. W. Farquhar,  D. W. Dunham and J. V. McAdams,  Applied Physics Lab., Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD</h4><h2> Abstract </h2>The Near-Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) mission will be the first launch in NASA's new series of low-cost planetary missions called "Discovery".  In February 1996, a Delta-2 rocket will place NEAR into a two-year   VEGA trajectory that will arrive at the large near-Earth asteroid, 433 Eros, on February 6, 1999.  On its way to Eros, NEAR will perform a flyby of the main-belt asteroid, 253 Mathilde, on June 27, 1997.  Among its many spaceflight 'firsts", NEAR will be the first spacecraft to orbit a small body. <br><br>