British expert first to see asteroid surface

A British scientist has been the first person to see the rocky surface of the asteroid Eros as the US Near Shoemaker spacecraft historically touched down on it.

Dr Louise Prockter, from Winchmore Hill, north London, has been the first to see the pitted surface of the asteroid some 196 million miles away from Earth.

It is the first time a man-made spacecraft has touched down on such an object.

Dr Prockter, 36, a planetary geologist, was an advisor to the camera teams beaming out pictures taken from the surface of the asteroid, which is the size of the Isle of Wight.

Over the next few years Dr Prockter will study the 160,000 photos the probe took of the asteroid to see what can be learned from it.

Speaking from mission control in Columbia, Maryland, Dr Prockter said: "I was the first person to see the images as they were beamed back. It was very exciting and very nerve-wracking.

"We were really surprised by how well it went. We were amazed because we thought we would get no good pictures back at all.

"It's too early to say what the pictures will show and it will take years of study. But it was so exciting to be involved."

The 495kg spacecraft was not designed to land on the asteroid, which is near Mars.

Mission controllers were unsure whether they could slow its descent enough to prevent it bouncing off the asteroid surface and back into orbit.