NEAR Shoemaker Touchdown Coming Up

iso9k writes "As reported from Space.com: The first asteroid touchdown in history is slated for Feb. 12 as NEAR Shoemaker attempts to gently drop itself onto the battered and boulder-strewn surface of Asteroid 433 Eros. The NEAR team itself is out of money for operations. They are out of Deep Space Network tracking time. And the probe itself almost out of fuel. This will be the first time that the United States has been to another body where we are the first ones to land. The race's to the Moon, Venus and Mars were won by by the former Soviet Union. The chances of the probe making a successful touchdown: less than 1%. On the eve of Feb 11 and 12 look up to the heavens and wish our little probe good luck and thank it for its dedication and service."