The radio science subsystem experiment (RSS) used the NEAR telemetry system to estimate the gravity field of the asteroids 253 Mathilde and 433 Eros. The principal scientific objectives of this investigation were to determine the mass and gravity variations of the asteroids and combine this data with information from the multispectral imager and laser rangefinder to estimate the density of bodies and constrain the internal structure.

The NEAR Radio Science Subsystem (RSS) used a coherent X-band transponder to conduct a 
 radio science investigation by measuring the Doppler shift from the spacecraft's radial           
 velocity component relative to the Earth.  Accurate measurements of the Doppler shift 
 and the range to Earth as the spacecraft orbited Eros allowed mapping of the asteroid's         
 gravity field. In conjunction with MSI/NIS and NLR data, gravity determinations were 
 combined with global shape and rotation data to constrain the internal density structure 
 of Eros and search for heterogeneity.  Spacecraft tracking data for the radio science 
 experiment were also obtained for a mass determination of Asteroid 253 Mathilde.

Data set ID	Includes:	Browse	Download
NEAR-A-RSS-1/5-EROS/FLYBY-V1.0	Eros Flyby	13 Mb	4 MB
NEAR-A-RSS-1/5-EROS/ORBIT-V1.0	Eros Orbit	61 Mb	12 Mb
NEAR-A-RSS-1/5-MATHILDE-V1.0	Mathilde	6.8 Mb	4 Mb
NEAR-A-RSS-5-EROS/GRAVITY-V1.0	Eros Gravity	7.6 Mb	4 Mb

NEAR Radio Science Subsystem (RSS) and Gravimetry

Description

Identifier (LID)

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