It's possible for near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) to help humans reach Mars, an MIT scientist believes.

Richard Binzel, Professor of Planetary Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, argues that NASA should consider a series of crewed expeditions to NEAs to serve as turning point missions that could make it easier to mount a voyage to Mars.

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He believes this is a better option compared to capturing a NEA with a robotic spacecraft and pulling it back to Earth.

He added that NASA must select its priorities before anything else. Binzel stated his arguments in the latest edition of international journal Nature.

The professor of planetary science, aeronautics, and astronautics suggests NASA should begin a three-pronged strategy for landing humankind on Mars.

The first step starts with a comprehensive survey of NEAs. NASA should then plan a series of crewed flights to increasingly distant asteroids.

This will be followed by building "better robotic vehicles and tools to enable astronauts to explore an asteroid regardless of its size, shape, or spin."

Binzel said that while humans launch their next remarkable spaceflights, they should consider asteroids as friends and not enemies. He also noted that extensive mapping of NEAs would also identify potential impact threats to Earth.

"For nearly four decades, NEAs have been recognized as human spaceflight destinations that are more accessible than the lunar surface. Owing to their minuscule gravity fields, a rendezvous with an asteroid merely entails sidling up and flying alongside one, with no need for a specialized landing craft," Binzel explained.

The scientist agrees with NASA's long-term goal and plan of sending humans to the Red Planet.

"Rededication to Mars as the long-term goal is clearly necessary," Binzel wrote.

Tagsasteroids, red planet, Mars, NASA, MIT, NASA expeditions