The first detailed global mapping of an asteroid has found that most of the larger rocks strewn across the body were ejected from a single crater in a meteorite collision perhaps a billion years ago. After flying by the asteroid Mathilde in 1997, Near-Shoemaker became the first space probe to orbit and land on an asteroid when it flew around the asteroid Eros earlier this year. Then, although it was not designed to land on Eros, it was commanded to touch down. Images were returned during its descent but ceased when the probe hit the surface. However, data continued to be returned from the gamma-ray spectrometer for several days, revealing the surface composition of Eros which seems to be covered with sediment, forming striking flat "ponds" within craters. http://www.cosmiverse.com/space09270101.html
