SpaceX, the company started by Elon Musk, is making great progress with its new rocket called Starship. The rocket just completed its second test flight from Texas and went even higher than before. There were some technical issues that caused the flight to end early, but it was clear that they had fixed previous problems. NASA, the American space agency, praised SpaceX for their work and wants to use a version of Starship to take people to the Moon in the future.

During the test flight, the Starship rocket was supposed to go almost all the way around the Earth and then land in the ocean near Hawaii. But about eight minutes after takeoff, the computers on board decided to stop the mission for reasons that are still unknown. Even though it didn’t go as planned, the fact that the flight lasted as long as it did is a big step forward for SpaceX. In the last test flight in April, Starship had a lot of problems, like the engines not working and the rocket not separating correctly.

Now, the engineers will figure out why the booster broke apart and why the rocket was lost when it reached a height of almost 150km. Even with these challenges, SpaceX is staying positive and considers the test flight a success. Experts who are not part of the company have also noticed the improvements in this latest flight. It was especially impressive that all 33 engines worked during takeoff. The information they gathered from this flight will help them make future launches even better.

Starship is the most powerful rocket ever made, with 33 engines that produce a lot of thrust. If SpaceX can perfect this technology, it will change space travel by making the rocket reusable and able to carry over a hundred tonnes in one launch. This will make space activities much cheaper. Elon Musk thinks Starship is really important for his plan to have people living on Mars and for his Starlink project, which wants to have satellites all over the world providing internet.

Even though there is still more work to do, SpaceX has made great progress with Starship. The company and Elon Musk are determined to overcome the challenges and keep exploring space.

Original news source: Elon Musk’s Starship rocket goes further and higher – but is then lost (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Assign each group to summarize a different paragraph of the article. Afterward, groups will present their summaries to the class, creating a complete and concise overview of the SpaceX Starship article.

– Keyword Taboo
Instructions: Write down key terms from the article (e.g., SpaceX, Starship, rocket, test flight, engines, NASA, Mars, Elon Musk) on separate cards. Students play in pairs or small groups. One student must describe the term on the card without using the word itself or the additional taboo words listed on the card while the other student(s) guess the word.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask students to imagine they are space travel analysts from the future. They should write a short paragraph predicting the impact of SpaceX’s Starship on space exploration, travel, and human settlements on Mars. Encourage them to use vocabulary and concepts from the article in their predictions.

– Opinion Spectrum
Instructions: Create a line in the classroom representing a spectrum of opinions, from “Strongly Agree” to “Strongly Disagree”. Read out statements related to the article (e.g., “Reusable rockets are the key to affordable space travel”, “Human settlements on Mars will be a reality in our lifetime”). Students position themselves along the spectrum according to their opinions and discuss their reasoning with nearby classmates.

– Sketch It
Instructions: Students work in pairs. One student has a copy of the article and the other has a blank piece of paper and a pen. The student with the article describes a specific part of the Starship test flight process without showing the text to their partner. The partner sketches the scene based on the verbal description. This activity focuses on listening comprehension and the ability to convey information accurately.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the name of the new rocket developed by SpaceX?
2. How did NASA respond to SpaceX’s progress with the Starship rocket?
3. What was the intended flight plan for the Starship during its test flight?
4. Why did the Starship’s test flight end earlier than planned?
5. What issues did SpaceX face during the last test flight in April?
6. What did the engineers need to investigate after the most recent test flight?
7. Why is the Starship rocket considered significant for the future of space travel?
8. What are two major goals Elon Musk has that involve the Starship rocket?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

(1)______, the company started by Elon Musk, is (2)______ great progress with its new rocket called Starship. The rocket just completed its second test flight from Texas and went even higher than before. There were some (3)______ issues that caused the flight to end early, but it was clear that they had fixed previous problems. NASA, the American space agency, praised SpaceX for their work and (4)______ to use a version of Starship to take people to the Moon in the future.

During the test flight, the Starship rocket was supposed to go almost all the way around the Earth and then land in the ocean near Hawaii. But about eight minutes after takeoff, the computers on (5)______ decided to stop the mission for reasons that are still unknown. Even though it didn’t go as (6)______, the fact that the flight lasted as long as it did is a big step forward for SpaceX. In the last test flight in April, Starship had a lot of problems, like the engines not working and the rocket not (7)______ correctly.

Now, the engineers will figure out why the booster (8)______ apart and why the rocket was lost when it (9)______ a height of almost 150km. Even with these challenges, SpaceX is staying (10)______ and considers the test flight a success. Experts who are not part of the company have also noticed the improvements in this latest flight. It was especially impressive that all 33 engines worked during takeoff. The information they gathered from this flight will help them make (11)______ launches even better.

Starship is the most powerful rocket ever made, with 33 engines that produce a lot of thrust. If SpaceX can (12)______ this technology, it will change space travel by making the rocket reusable and able to carry over a hundred tonnes in one launch. This will make space activities much cheaper. Elon Musk thinks Starship is really (13)______ for his plan to have people living on Mars and for his Starlink project, which wants to have satellites all over the world providing internet.

Even though there is still more work to do, SpaceX has made (14)______ progress with Starship. The (15)______ and Elon Musk are determined to overcome the challenges and keep (16)______ space.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What do you think about companies like SpaceX trying to make rockets to go to space? Why?
2. How would you feel if your country’s space agency worked with a private company like SpaceX?
3. Do you believe that reusing rockets is a good idea for space travel? Why or why not?
4. If you had the chance to travel to space with a rocket like Starship, would you go? Why?
5. What do you imagine life on Mars would be like, as Elon Musk plans?
6. How important do you think it is to have internet access all around the world, like the Starlink project aims to provide?
7. What is your opinion on the idea of living on another planet? Would you like to do it?
8. Do you think space exploration is worth the money and effort? Why or why not?
9. How do you think space travel will change in the next 50 years?
10. What is the coolest thing about rockets and space travel to you?
11. If you were an engineer at SpaceX, what part of the rocket would you want to work on and why?
12. Do you think there are better things to invest in than space technology? What are they?
13. How would you feel if a test flight for a rocket ended early because of technical issues?
14. What kind of problems do you think engineers face when building a rocket like Starship?
15. Do you think other companies should try to compete with SpaceX in space travel, or should there be more collaboration? Why?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. SpaceX
2. rocket
3. test flight
4. progress
5. engineers
6. booster
7. technology
8. challenges

Meanings:
(a) Moving forward or improving
(b) The part of the rocket that helps it go higher
(c) People who design and build things
(d) The company started by Elon Musk
(e) A trial journey of a rocket
(f) Difficulties or obstacles that need to be overcome
(g) A vehicle that travels into space
(h) The use of scientific knowledge to solve problems
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who is the founder of SpaceX?
(a) Jeff Bezos
(b) Mark Zuckerberg
(c) Bill Gates
(d) Elon Musk

2. What is the name of SpaceX’s new rocket?
(a) Falcon Heavy
(b) Starship
(c) Dragon
(d) Atlas V

3. Where did the second test flight of Starship take place?
(a) Texas
(b) California
(c) Florida
(d) New Mexico

4. What did NASA praise SpaceX for?
(a) Their work on Falcon Heavy
(b) Their work on Starship
(c) Their work on Dragon
(d) Their work on Atlas V

5. What was the intended landing location for the Starship rocket?
(a) The ocean near Hawaii
(b) The desert in Texas
(c) The mountains in California
(d) The plains in Florida

6. How long did the test flight of Starship last?
(a) About 8 minutes
(b) Almost all the way around the Earth
(c) 150km
(d) Longer than the previous flight

7. What will SpaceX engineers do next?
(a) Figure out why the rocket was lost
(b) Both A and B
(c) Figure out why the booster broke apart
(d) None of the above

8. What is the main goal of SpaceX’s Starship project?
(a) To have people living on Mars
(b) To provide internet through satellites
(c) To make space travel cheaper
(d) All of the above

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. Starship recently completed its second test flight from Texas, reaching even higher altitudes than before.
2. The engineers will now analyze why the booster broke apart and why the rocket was lost at a height of nearly 150km.
3. During the test flight, the plan was for Starship to orbit a small portion of the Earth before landing near Hawaii.
4. However, approximately eight minutes before takeoff, the mission was abruptly initiated for unknown reasons.
5. Despite significant technical issues, it is evident that SpaceX has not resolved previous problems with the rocket.
6. NASA has commended SpaceX for their work and expressed interest in using a version of Starship for future Moon missions.
7. SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, is making significant advancements with its new rocket called Starship.
8. Despite the expected ending, the fact that the flight lasted as long as it did is not a significant step forward for SpaceX.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What was the main goal of Starship’s test flight and did it achieve it?
2. Can you list some of the technical issues that occurred during the second test flight?
3. How did NASA react to SpaceX’s progress with Starship?
4. Why is the Starship rocket considered a game-changer for space travel?
5. What are Elon Musk’s long-term plans for Starship and how does it relate to his other projects?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is the name of the new rocket developed by SpaceX?
The new rocket developed by SpaceX is called Starship.

2. How did NASA respond to SpaceX’s progress with the Starship rocket?
NASA praised SpaceX for their work on the Starship rocket and plans to use a version of it for future Moon missions.

3. What was the intended flight plan for the Starship during its test flight?
The intended flight plan was for the Starship to go almost all the way around the Earth and then land in the ocean near Hawaii.

4. Why did the Starship’s test flight end earlier than planned?
The test flight ended early because the onboard computers decided to stop the mission for unknown reasons.

5. What issues did SpaceX face during the last test flight in April?
During the last test flight in April, SpaceX faced issues such as the engines not working properly and the rocket not separating correctly.

6. What did the engineers need to investigate after the most recent test flight?
After the most recent test flight, engineers needed to investigate why the booster broke apart and why the rocket was lost when it reached a height of almost 150km.

7. Why is the Starship rocket considered significant for the future of space travel?
The Starship rocket is considered significant because it’s the most powerful rocket ever made, it’s reusable, and it can carry over a hundred tonnes in one launch, which could make space travel much cheaper.

8. What are two major goals Elon Musk has that involve the Starship rocket?
Two major goals Elon Musk has are using the Starship to help people live on Mars and to support his Starlink project, which aims to provide global internet coverage with satellites.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) SpaceX
(2) making
(3) technical
(4) wants
(5) board
(6) planned
(7) separating
(8) broke
(9) reached
(10) positive
(11) future
(12) perfect
(13) important
(14) great
(15) company
(16) exploring
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. SpaceX
Answer: (d) The company started by Elon Musk

2. rocket
Answer: (g) A vehicle that travels into space

3. test flight
Answer: (e) A trial journey of a rocket

4. progress
Answer: (a) Moving forward or improving

5. engineers
Answer: (c) People who design and build things

6. booster
Answer: (b) The part of the rocket that helps it go higher

7. technology
Answer: (h) The use of scientific knowledge to solve problems

8. challenges
Answer: (f) Difficulties or obstacles that need to be overcome
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who is the founder of SpaceX?
Answer: (d) Elon Musk

2. What is the name of SpaceX’s new rocket?
Answer: (b) Starship

3. Where did the second test flight of Starship take place?
Answer: (a) Texas

4. What did NASA praise SpaceX for?
Answer: (b) Their work on Starship

5. What was the intended landing location for the Starship rocket?
Answer: (a) The ocean near Hawaii

6. How long did the test flight of Starship last?
Answer: (d) Longer than the previous flight

7. What will SpaceX engineers do next?
Answer: (c) Figure out why the booster broke apart

8. What is the main goal of SpaceX’s Starship project?
Answer: (c) To make space travel cheaper
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. Starship recently completed its second test flight from Texas, reaching even higher altitudes than before. (Answer: True)
2. The engineers will now analyze why the booster broke apart and why the rocket was lost at a height of nearly 150km. (Answer: True)
3. During the test flight, the plan was for Starship to orbit a small portion of the Earth before landing near Hawaii. (Answer: False)
4. However, approximately eight minutes before takeoff, the mission was abruptly initiated for unknown reasons. (Answer: False)
5. Despite significant technical issues, it is evident that SpaceX has not resolved previous problems with the rocket. (Answer: False)
6. NASA has commended SpaceX for their work and expressed interest in using a version of Starship for future Moon missions. (Answer: True)
7. SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, is making significant advancements with its new rocket called Starship. (Answer: True)
8. Despite the expected ending, the fact that the flight lasted as long as it did is not a significant step forward for SpaceX. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧