Hi there! Have you ever looked up at the moon and wondered what it would be like to visit? Well, back in 1969, astronauts did just that for the first time. People all over the world were excited and a bit nervous. Could they really do it? It was a daring mission, but it worked!
When the astronauts landed on the moon, it was a huge moment in history. Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the moon, and he said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Millions of people watched and cheered as it happened. Now, a new group of astronauts is getting ready to go back to the moon as part of the Artemis program. This time, they plan to stay on the moon for almost a week!
So, how do astronauts get ready for such an adventure? Let’s find out! Astronauts like Jessica Watkins go through a lot of training. Jessica is a scientist who studies rocks and planets like Mars. She’s already spent more than 150 days in space, handling challenges like fixing machines and growing food. But living on the moon will be a new challenge.
To get ready, astronauts practice in places on Earth that are similar to the moon. One of these places is underwater! When astronauts wear their spacesuits underwater, they feel weightless, just like they would on the moon. They practice moving and breathing in their suits, which helps them get used to the moon’s low gravity.
Another training spot is a desert in Arizona, which looks a lot like the moon. Here, astronauts practice doing different jobs, like collecting rocks. They even practice at night with lights that create shadows, making it feel more like the moon.
During training, astronauts work with scientists and engineers to test tools they’ll use on the moon. They try out everything from rock-collecting scoops to vehicles that could be their homes on future trips. Sometimes things don’t go as planned, like when a toilet system got smelly during a test. But that’s why they practice on Earth, so they can fix problems before heading to space.
When it’s finally time to go to the moon, Jessica Watkins and her fellow astronauts will be ready. They’ll travel farther into space than anyone has before and explore new parts of the moon. This mission is also a chance for the first woman and the first person of color to walk on the moon, which is a big step forward.
In the past, women and people of color weren’t allowed to be astronauts, but now they have the chance to make history. The Artemis mission is just the beginning. It’s practice for even bigger plans, like building a station on the moon and one day sending people to Mars.
There’s so much more to discover in our solar system, and it will take teamwork from everyone on Earth to explore it. Maybe one day, you could be part of these exciting adventures! If you want to learn more about the Artemis program, you can follow NASA online. And if you’re curious about being an astronaut, check out interviews with astronauts like Jessica Meir, who is currently on the International Space Station.
Thanks for joining this journey of discovery. Stay curious, and who knows what amazing things you might learn next!
Moon Walk Simulation: Create your own “moon walk” experience at home! Find a pair of thick socks and walk on a soft surface like a carpet or a mattress. Notice how your steps feel different. Imagine you’re an astronaut on the moon with low gravity. How do you think astronauts keep their balance? Try walking slowly and carefully, just like they would on the moon.
Design a Space Tool: Imagine you’re an astronaut preparing for a moon mission. What tool would you need to collect moon rocks? Use materials like cardboard, paper, and tape to design your own rock-collecting tool. Think about how it would work in space. Share your design with a friend or family member and explain how it would help astronauts on the moon.
Night Sky Observation: On a clear night, go outside with an adult and look up at the moon. Can you see any details like craters or shadows? Use a pair of binoculars if you have them. Write down or draw what you see. Imagine what it would be like to stand on the moon and look back at Earth. How would it feel to be so far away from home?
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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(computer phone ringing) – Hi, it’s Danni. Have you ever looked at the moon and wondered, “What would it be like to go there?” – [Mission Control] Ignition sequence start. Six, five… – [Danni] In 1969, astronauts set out to visit the moon for the first time. People around the world were excited and nervous. Could they do it? It was a daring plan and it worked. – [Neil Armstrong] The Eagle has landed. – [Danni] The first person walked on the moon. – [Neil Armstrong] That’s one small step for man. – [Danni] And millions of people all over the world watched and cheered. – One giant leap for mankind. – [Danni] It was an incredible moment in history. And now a new group of astronauts are preparing to reach the moon. They’re part of the Artemis program. Artemis astronauts plan to live on the moon for almost a week. It’ll be the first time anyone has tried that, and it’s happening in your lifetime. – [Mission Control] Three, two, one. (explosion booms) And lift off. – You will get to see history as it happens. Someone named Sophia has a question about space. Let’s give Sophia a call now. (computer phone ringing) – Hi, Danni. – Hi, Sophia. – I have a question for you. How do astronauts get ready for space? – Great question. While this Artemis moon landing is still years away, astronauts are already preparing, like Astronaut Jessica Watkins. Jessica Watkins is a scientist who studies rocks and rocky planets like Mars. She went through intense training to become an astronaut and now she’s already spent more than 150 days in space. Jessica Watkins has handled all kinds of challenges in space from fixing machines to growing food, but this new trip to the moon will have big challenges. No one has lived on the moon for six days before. You might already know some of the ways the moon is different from Earth. For one, there’s no air to breathe. Astronauts need to wear special suits with oxygen. There’s also very little gravity to hold astronauts down. They need to get used to moving their bodies in new ways. So how do astronauts get ready for such a different place? I’m curious, what do you think? If you were an astronaut, what would help you get ready to work on the moon? Now would be a good time to pause the video and discuss. Okay, are you ready? A lot goes into getting ready for the moon, but some of it’s similar to how you might get ready for a soccer game or a concert. Astronauts practice. To practice, astronauts need some place on Earth that’s like the moon, someplace with no air to breathe, where their bodies will be weightless and floaty. Can you think of a place like that? Well, here’s one of my favorite places. Exploring underwater makes me feel like an astronaut. Maybe you’ve had the same floaty experience. It turns out real astronauts practice underwater too. Here’s astronaut Jessica Watkins in her spacesuit. On land, it’s heavy, but underwater, it feels weightless. She can practice moving and breathing in her suit the way it would feel on the moon. And check this out, it’s a training station in the ocean. This is where Jessica Watkins and her crew mates lived for over a week underwater. There’s not much room inside. Everyone has to work together to stay safe and get jobs done. It’s a lot like being in space. That’s why practicing teamwork skills is an important part of how astronauts get ready. Now look at this. It’s another place astronauts go to practice for the moon. Doesn’t it look like another planet? But it’s a desert in the US state of Arizona. Here, astronauts get ready for what it will be like doing different jobs on the moon. They often practice at night and shine lights that create confusing shadows to make it look even more like the moon. Jobs that seem simple, like collecting rocks, need step-by-step planning and special tools. I mean, watch this. This is a real video of an astronaut on the moon in 1972. He’s trying to use a hammer, but it’s hard to hang onto. – [Astronaut] Ah, rats. – [Danni] He accidentally dropped it. And do you see the problem? Now he can’t pick it up because the spacesuit doesn’t bend. To plan ahead for problems like this, astronauts work with scientists and engineers to test out tools being created for the moon. They try everything from a scoop for collecting rocks to a vehicle that could be the astronauts’ home as they explore the moon on future trips. Astronauts spent a week living in a test vehicle. It mostly worked well, except the toilet system got seriously smelly. But that’s what practice is for. It’s much better to fail on Earth than on the moon. – [Astronaut] Ah, rats. – [Danni] The team can fix and improve things here and not 240,000 miles away from home. When it’s finally time to head into space, Jessica Watkins and her fellow astronauts will be ready. All that practice will help them accomplish big things. They plan to travel farther into space than any humans have gone before to visit an unexplored part of the moon. And through future Artemis missions, the first woman and first person of color could walk on the moon. That’s an important step forward. 60 years ago when America’s first astronauts were selected, women and people of color were unfairly excluded. Back then, Jessica Watkins and many of her teammates would not have had the opportunity to become astronauts, but now they’re ready to make history. And you can follow in their footsteps. This Artemis moon mission is practiced for even bigger plans like building a station on the moon and someday sending people to Mars. This is one small step into our solar system. There’s so much more out there and it will take the teamwork of our entire human family to explore it. Future history makers like you have the potential to make big things happen. For updates on the Artemis program, you can follow NASA online. And if you’re curious to know more about being an astronaut, check out our interview with another Jessica on the Artemis team. – Hello, everybody down there on the planet Earth. My name is Jessica Meir and I am a NASA astronaut currently on board the International Space Station. – [Danni] That’s all for this week’s question. Thanks, Sophia, for asking it. Now, we’ll be back with a new episode in a couple of weeks, but in the meantime, here are some older questions from the question jar. You can vote on which one you think we should send out next week. You can choose from, “Could a mountain turn into a volcano?” “Why do we yawn?” Or, “Why do animals come back after going to warm places in the winter?” So submit your vote when the video’s over. We want to hear from all of you watching. There are mysteries all around us. Stay curious and see you next week.
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