Falcon 9 Launches Secret Space Force Mission from California
Listen to the story
A rocket called Falcon 9 launched from California. The company SpaceX built the rocket. The rocket carried a payload for the U.S. Space Force. The Space Force is part of the U.S. military. It works in space.
The mission has a name: USSF-266. But the Space Force did not say what is inside the rocket. This is a classified mission. Classified means the information is secret.
This was one of many launches this year. There have been eighteen launches like this. None of them had public program names. People do not know what these missions do.
Some people want more disclosure. Disclosure means sharing information. They think the public should know more about these space missions. The government says secrecy keeps the country safe.
Vocabulary15 words
- rocket
- a machine that flies into space
- payload
- the thing a rocket carries
- classified
- secret; not public
- disclosure
- sharing information with people
- mission
- a special job or trip
- military
- the army, navy, or air force
- launch
- to send a rocket into the sky
- secret
- not known by other people
- public
- all the people
- government
- the people who run a country
- safe
- not in danger
- information
- facts about something
- space
- the area outside Earth
- company
- a business
- country
- a nation, like the U.S.
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Quiz
Answer key
1. SpaceX 2. Secret 3. No
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A _____ called Falcon 9 launched from California.
The company _____ built the rocket.
The rocket carried a _____ for the U.S. Space Force.
The Space Force is part of the U.S. _____.
The mission has a name: _____.
This is a _____ mission.
Classified means the information is _____.
There have been _____ launches like this.
Some people want more _____.
The government says secrecy keeps the country _____.
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