Rockets

What Is a Rocket?

A rocket is a special kind of vehicle.
It is usually shaped like a tube.
Inside, it carries fuel.

The fuel makes hot gas.
The hot gas shoots out the back.
This push makes the rocket fly forward.

Rockets can fly in outer space.
They do not need air to work.
That makes them special.

A Guide for Teachers

This guide is called Rockets.
NASA made this guide.
It helps teachers teach about rockets.

The first guide came out long ago.
Many teachers have used it.
It has fun activities for class.

This new guide talks about SLS.
SLS means Space Launch System.
It is a huge, powerful rocket.

SLS can carry astronauts to the Moon.
It can carry cargo too.
It can do this in one trip.

Many people helped make this guide.
Teachers. Scientists. Writers. Artists.
We thank them all.

A Letter to Teachers

NASA started more than 65 years ago.
NASA explores the sky and space.

People have flown into space.
People have walked on the Moon.
Robots have explored every planet.

Satellites gave us new views of Earth.
A space station was built in space.
Astronauts from many countries live there.

Other satellites look far into space.
They look back almost to the beginning of time.

All of this happened because of rockets.

Now we are starting something new.
New rockets will take us further.
People will go beyond Earth again.

New rockets will help us reach the Moon.
New rockets will help us reach Mars.
They will help robots explore deep space too.

This guide will help you teach about rockets.
You and your students will learn together.

You will learn about old rockets.
You will meet thinkers and dreamers.

You will learn rocket science.
You will learn rocket math.
You will learn what rocket scientists do.

You will see pictures of space history.
Sputnik. Apollo. The space shuttle.

You will see the future of space travel.
You will learn why rockets are so special.

Maybe your students will help explore space one day.
Maybe they will be scientists.
Maybe they will be engineers.
This guide can help them get ready.

The guide has different parts.
It talks about rocket history.
It talks about SLS.
It talks about how rockets work.

Then come fun activities.
The activities teach Newton's laws of motion.
These are rules about how things move.

The activities use teamwork.
They use problem solving.
They use hands-on fun.

Each activity has clear steps.
Each activity lists what you need.
Each activity has questions to talk about.

You can use the whole guide.
Or you can pick one activity.
Both ways work well.

This guide wants to excite young minds.
Your students could be future explorers.
This guide can help them start.

A History of Rockets

Rockets today are amazing.
But they took a long time to build.
People worked on rockets for over 2,000 years.

People watched. People wondered.
Then people studied and tested.
Slowly, rocket science grew.

New rockets will take us further now.
They will help us go back to the Moon.
They will help us go to Mars.

These rockets can do many jobs.
They can visit the space station.
They can travel far from Earth too.

Robots already fly rockets to the stars.
Someday, people will follow them.

Long ago, rocket inventors tried new things.
They made rockets for land.
They made rockets for sea.
They made rockets for air.
They even made rockets for space.

Then scientists learned the rules of motion.
Rockets became more than toys.
Rockets became tools for science and travel.

This work led to amazing discoveries.

The next pages tell rocket stories.
They show a timeline of rockets.
Some stories connect to each other.

These stories show how people dreamed.
Their dreams helped us reach space.

Today's rockets, like SLS, come from this history.
Many smart people worked hard.
Their work helped rockets fly today.