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Exploring space

  1. The Hubble Space Telescope floating in space Real photo

    First, we look

    Long ago, people looked at the sky with just their eyes. Then they built telescopes. A telescope makes far things look bigger and closer. Some telescopes float in space, above the blurry air.

  2. A space shuttle lifting off with fire and big clouds of smoke Real photo

    Blast off!

    To go to space, astronauts ride a rocket. Gravity pulls the rocket down. So it burns lots of fuel to climb up.

  3. Space: no air
    Space suit
    gives air

    A suit full of air

    Space has no air to breathe. So astronauts wear space suits. A suit gives them air and keeps them safe.

  4. The Curiosity rover, a robot car, on the red dusty ground of Mars Real photo

    The Moon and Mars

    In 1969, astronauts walked on the Moon for the first time. No person has been to Mars yet. Robot cars called rovers explore Mars for us.

  5. The International Space Station high above Earth Real photo

    A home in space

    Some astronauts live on a space station. It goes around Earth, high above us. Inside, they float. The station and everyone in it fall around Earth together.

For parents

Goal: Your child learns how telescopes, rockets, space suits and rovers help people explore space.

  • Ask: what tool would you use to see the Moon up close?
  • Ask: why can't astronauts take off their helmets in space?
  • Look up a photo of a Mars rover together and talk about its job.

Away from the screen: Build a rocket from a paper towel tube and paper. Act out the trip together: climb in, count down, lift off and reach space.

Science · Planets, stars and space
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