NEAR-Shoemaker, spacecraft to Eros, launched 1996

The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezous-Shoemaker (NEAR Shoemaker), launched February 17, 1996, is the first spacecraft to touchdown on an asteroid. On its way to the near-Earth object Eros, the spacecraft passed by Mathilde, an asteroid approximately 50 km in diameter, and took pictures of nearly 60% of its surface.

Orbital insertion above Eros occurred in February 2000, after a near-catastrophic event back in December 1998, during which the spacecraft was nearly lost. Starting January 2001, the spacecraft began a series of close passes to the surface and then made a slow, controlled descent to the surface, landing on February 12, 2001 near the saddle-shaped feature Himeros. 

NASA scientists were amazed to discover NEAR Shoemaker had survived the landing and was operational.  The craft continued to send signals until February 28, when it was shut down.  A final attempt to contact the probe on December 10, 2002 was unsuccessful.