364 Encyclopedia of the Solar System
an extremely rough surface, as shown in Fig. 7. After several
months of mapping and analysis, the spacecraft collected
samples by shooting a small projectile into the surface and
collecting some of the fragments splashed off. As of this
writing, the spacecraft is on its way back to Earth and will
parachute the sample pod onto the Australian desert in
2010.
Even though we have made great strides in exploring
asteroids, they are still largely unexplored; indeed, in the
case of the smaller NEOs, they are still largely undiscov-
ered. They have great potential for science, for destruction,
as resources in space, and for exploration. We are only just
starting to understand these numerous objects that share
our solar system.Bibliography
Bottke, W. F., Cellino, A., Paolicchi, P., and Binzel, R. P., eds.
(2002). “Asteroids III.” Univ. Arizona Press, Tucson.
Gehrels, T., ed. (1994). “Hazards due to Comets and Aster-
oids.” Univ. Arizona Press, Tucson.