Don Savage 
Headquarters, Washington, DC              February 8, 2000
(Phone:  202/358-1547)

Helen Worth 
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD
 (Phone:  240/228-5113)

NOTE TO EDITORS:  N00-4

EVENTS AND BRIEFINGS SET FOR HISTORIC ASTEROID ENCOUNTER

     On Valentine's Day 2000, NASA's NEAR spacecraft will 
probably be causing many hearts to beat faster than normal -- 
especially people in mission control.  They will be watching 
over the spacecraft as it makes its second attempt to gently 
enter orbit around the near-Earth asteroid Eros, named for the 
Greek god of love.  

     The NEAR (Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous) mission, the 
first mission to orbit an asteroid, is being conducted for 
NASA by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics 
Laboratory, Laurel, MD.  Once in orbit, NEAR will begin a 
year-long scientific study to scrutinize Eros, including its 
chemical and physical features and evolutionary history.  The 
asteroid is about twice the size of Manhattan Island.

     The following activities are scheduled:  

               Feb. 14, 2000 -- Encounter Day

     9:15 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. EST - Rendezvous Activities at the 
Applied Physics Laboratory's Kossiakoff Auditorium.  Includes 
mission overviews and a live video feed from the Mission 
Operations Center during orbit insertion and confirmation.  To 
be broadcast live on NASA TV.

     2:00 p.m. EST - Press Briefing in the Kossiakoff Center.  
Includes rendezvous details and distribution of the first 
after-orbit insertion image.  To be broadcast live on NASA TV 
with two-way question-and-answer capability for reporters 
covering the event from participating NASA centers.

                         Feb. 17, 2000

     1:00 p.m. EST - Early Results Press Briefing in the James 
E. Webb Auditorium at NASA Headquarters, 300 E St. SW, 
Washington, D.C.  Includes early science return information 
and images.  To be broadcast live on NASA TV with two-way 
question-and-answer capability for reporters covering the 
event from participating NASA centers.

     NASA Television is broadcast on the GE2 satellite, 
located on Transponder 9C, at 85 degrees West longitude, 
frequency 3880.0 Mhz, audio 6.8 MHz.  Audio of the broadcast 
will be available on voice circuit at the Kennedy Space Center 
on 407/867-1220.

     Contact Helen Worth of JHU APL at 240/228-5113 for media 
accreditation to cover Encounter Day activities.

     Images and movies of Eros as NEAR closes in are available 
at:  

                      http://near.jhuapl.edu

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