World Report: March 1, 1996 Vol.1 No.17
- This Issue:
- Table of Contents
- Cover Story
- Cover Story - Spanish Version
- Mini-Lesson
- Comprehension Quiz
- Teacher's Guide and Worksheets
Mission To A Space Rock
Deep in space, a large potato-shaped chunk of rock is silently speeding along. It is the asteroid known as 433 Eros. Astronomers believe asteroids are rubble left over from the formation of the solar system. They also believe asteroids have occasionally smashed into Earth. But there is a lot that scientists don't know about these mysterious objects.
That may change. Last week NASA launched a space probe called NEAR (Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous). It will cruise to within 20 miles of Eros, which is between Mars and Jupiter. The craft will take three years to reach Eros and will orbit it for a year. Scientists hope to find clues to how the solar system formed.
