Activities to help you learn how spaceships break through Earth’s atmosphere

Difficulty: Challenger (Level 1)

It is not easy to break through the Earth’s atmosphere and travel in space. So how do spaceships get enough energy to do that?

First, they must carry fuel. When the fuel burns, it reacts with oxygen. Then, hot gases, flames and smoke explode from the rocket. All of this energy lifts the rocket off the ground. The power pushes the ship away from Earth’s surface.

The rocket needs to travel far enough from Earth. Then, it releases its orbiter into space. Scientists carefully plan to use the perfect amount of fuel. Too much fuel makes the rocket too heavy.

Thanks to the work of scientists, humans can learn all about our amazing universe.

Make your own rocket

Materials

• baking soda

• vinegar

• paper towel

• plastic bottle

• 3 pencils or wooden chopsticks

• tape

• stopper (like a wooden cork)

• parent or guardian to help you

Instructions

1. Find an outdoor space. An adult should help you with this project to keep you safe.

2. Tape three pencils or wooden chopsticks around the sides of the bottle. The sticks should hold the bottle up. Its opening should not touch the ground when it is upside down.

3. Pour the vinegar into the plastic bottle until it is two-thirds full.

4. Place two spoons of baking soda on a paper towel.

5. Fold the paper towel to wrap up all the baking soda.

6. Push the paper into the plastic bottle. Then, quickly put the stopper in to close the bottle’s opening.

7. Place the plastic bottle upside down so it stands on the sticks. Do this quickly. The vinegar and baking soda will create carbon dioxide bubbles. This will push the stopper out and launch your rocket.

8. Stand back and wait for the reaction!

Parts of a space shuttle

Instructions: Use the words in the box below to label the basic parts of a space shuttle.

• Rocket boosters: gives extra power during the first part of the launch. Usually, these parts fall into the ocean after launch. They can be reused.

• External tank: provides the fuel to finish the rocket’s launch. Usually, this breaks apart in Earth’s upper atmosphere. Then, it falls into the ocean.

• Orbiter: sometimes looks like a plane. It can hold astronauts or spacecraft.

Answers

A: External tank; B: Orbiter; C: Rocket boosters