<page_title> List of missions to minor planets </page_title> <table> <cell> NEAR Shoemaker (Discovery 2) <col_header> Spacecraft </col_header> </cell> <cell> 17 February 1996 <col_header> Launch date </col_header> </cell> <cell> 253 Mathilde <col_header> Targeted minor planet </col_header> </cell> <cell> Flyby <col_header> Mission </col_header> </cell> <cell> 433 Eros <col_header> Spacecraft </col_header> </cell> <cell> Orbiter <col_header> Launch date </col_header> </cell> </table>
The mission NEAR Shoemaker was launched in February 1996 and entered orbit around 433 Eros, having first flown 253 Mathilde.