Could I visit an asteroid one day?
Maybe! Robots have already landed on asteroids. Sending people would be hard, but space agencies have studied it, and you could help make it happen.
Robot spacecraft have already visited many asteroids. Some have orbited them, some have landed, and some have even scooped up samples and brought them back to Earth. So far, no human has visited an asteroid, but it might happen in the future.
Why it would be hard. Asteroids are far away. Even the nearest ones can be millions of kilometres from Earth, and a round trip could take many months or years. Astronauts would need food, water, air and protection from space radiation for the whole journey. Asteroids have very weak gravity, so astronauts would need to anchor themselves to avoid floating away.
Why it might happen. Some asteroids pass quite close to Earth, so they could be easier to reach than Mars. Astronauts could study them, test ways to protect Earth from dangerous asteroids, or even mine them for water to make rocket fuel. Space agencies have studied possible missions.
How you could help. Future asteroid explorers will need scientists, engineers, doctors, pilots, computer experts and many others. If you enjoy science, maths and technology, keep learning. The first person to stand on an asteroid might be someone who is a child today.
Until then, you can explore asteroids through spacecraft photos, which show their rocky, boulder-strewn surfaces in amazing detail.