Spacecraft orbiting asteroid approaching Earth illustration This asteroid is an example of a nearEarth object NEO an astronomical object whose orbit intersects with that of the Earth Asteroids are rocky bodies orbiting within the solar system They vary in size from tens of metres across to more than a hundred kilometres across Large asteroids over a kilometre across impacting the Earth can cause mass loss of life It is thought that this is what caused the extinction of the dinosaurs million years ago Spacecraft observing such asteroids can also be designed to carry out deflection missions to prevent the asteroid impacting the EarthDetlev Van RavenswaayScience Photo Library