The main purpose of the passage is to:

While often overshadowed by the larger celestial bodies, asteroids play a crucial role in understanding the early solar system. These rocky remnants, primarily found in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, are thought to be leftover building blocks from the formation of the planets. Studying their composition provides invaluable clues about the primordial conditions and the materials present when our solar system was just beginning to coalesce.