Space mining could transform humanity’s relationship with resources by unlocking vast supplies of metals and water hidden within asteroids. These off-world materials may one day support space stations, fuel deep-space missions, and reduce the environmental strain of mining on Earth. As robotics, AI, and reusable rockets advance, extracting resources from asteroids is moving from science fiction toward economic reality. The rise of space mining also raises big questions about ownership, regulation, and how humanity responsibly expands into the solar system.