SpaceX launches Starship, most powerful rocket ever
Listen to the story (American accent)
SpaceX tested its new rocket called Starship. The test was a success. This is good for the company because the first tests failed.
Starship is a very big rocket. It is the biggest ever. The rocket has two parts. The first part is the booster. It has 33 engines. The second part is the spacecraft.
The rocket took off in Texas, USA. It flew for about an hour. All the engines worked well. The booster fell into the sea. The spacecraft went up into space and flew around the Earth.
The rocket came back to Earth a bit broken, but it was a good test. It helps SpaceX learn more. SpaceX wants to take people into space safely.
SpaceX wants to go to the Moon and Mars. NASA will use this rocket to send people to the Moon in 2027. This trip is called Artemis.
After the flight, the CEO of SpaceX, Elon Musk, wrote a message on X. He said, "Great work by the SpaceX team!!"
Vocabulary16 words
- Test
- to do something to learn if it is safe, works correctly, etc.; try out; to try
- Rocket
- a powerful vehicle that travels through space 🚀
- Called
- Named; To give something a name
- Test
- trial; experiment; study; try-out; an act of using something to find out if it is working correctly or how effective it is
- Success
- The achievement of a goal; getting the results wanted or hoped for; to complete something well; to do a good job
- Fail
- to lose; to not succeed; to have a bad result; unsuccessful
- Ever
- At any time; in history; in your life
- Part
- a piece of something; a section of a whole thing; not the whole thing
- Booster
- The part of a rocket that has the big engines and “pushes” it up
- Engine
- The part of a machine that makes it go/move;
- Spacecraft
- A vehicle designed/made for space travel; 🚀
- Take off
- When a plane starts flying and goes up into the sky from the ground
- Space
- the area outside of Earth with stars and darkness; 🌌
- Earth
- the planet/world we live on 🌎
- Bit
- a little; somewhat; a small amount; a small piece;
- CEO (Chief Executive officer)
- the top person in a large company; president; boss
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
SpaceX _____ its new rocket called Starship. The test was a _____. This is good for the company because the first _____ failed.
Starship is a very _____ rocket. It is the biggest ever. The rocket has two _____. The first part is the booster. It has _____ engines. The second part is the spacecraft.
_____ rocket took off in Texas, USA. It flew for _____ an hour. All the engines worked well. The booster _____ into the sea. The spacecraft went up into space and _____ around the Earth.
The rocket came back to Earth a _____ broken, but it was a good test. It helps SpaceX learn _____. SpaceX wants to take people into _____ safely.
SpaceX wants to go to the _____ and Mars. NASA will use this rocket to send _____ to the Moon in 2027. This trip is called Artemis.
_____ the flight, the CEO of SpaceX, Elon Musk, wrote a _____ on X. He said, "Great work by the SpaceX team!!"
Discussion questions
- Do you think it is important to go to the Moon and Mars? Why or why not?
- What do you think are the biggest challenges of traveling to space?
- If you had the chance to travel to space, would you go? Why or why not?
- Would you like to go to the Moon one day? Why or why not?
- Is it a good thing for companies like SpaceX to try and go to space? Why?
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