3Pre-IntermediateGeneralScience

NASA Is Ready to Send People to the Moon

NASA will send four astronauts around the moon on April 1. This is the first time people will go near the moon in over 50 years. The crew and their big rocket are ready for this exciting trip.

1 min readLevel 3March 31, 2026

By Flalingo Editorial Team

Vocabulary

Study these words before reading the article. Click the audio button to hear pronunciation.

historic

/hɪˈstɒrɪk/

adjective

Very important in history; something people will remember for a long time

“It was a historic day for the whole country.”

launch

/lɔːntʃ/

verb

To send something like a rocket into the sky

“They will launch the rocket on Wednesday.”

crew

/kruː/

noun

A group of people who work together on a ship, plane, or spacecraft

“The crew trained for many years before the trip.”

mission

/ˈmɪʃən/

noun

An important job or task that someone is sent to do

“Their mission is to fly around the moon safely.”

spacecraft

/ˈspeɪskrɑːft/

noun

A vehicle that travels in space

“The spacecraft will carry the astronauts to the moon.”

excited

/ɪkˈsaɪtɪd/

adjective

Feeling very happy and full of energy about something

“The children were excited about the school trip.”

Listen to Article

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Article

Click on any underlined word to see its definition. Highlighted words are from the vocabulary section.

NASA says it is ready for a historic trip. Four astronauts will fly around the moon soon. The mission is called Artemis 2. It will launch on April 1, 2026. No one has been near the moon since 1972.

The crew will ride a huge rocket. It is called the Space Launch System. Their spacecraft is named Orion. The trip will take about ten days. The rocket is already on the launch pad.

The crew is very excited about this journey. Christina Koch will be the first woman near the moon. Victor Glover will be the first person of color. Jeremy Hansen is from Canada. The world is watching this special mission.

Comprehension Quiz

Test your understanding of the article with these multiple-choice questions.

1
When will Artemis 2 launch?
2
How many astronauts will fly on this mission?
3
How long will the trip take?
4
What is the name of the rocket?
5
When was the last time people went near the moon?

Discussion

Answer these comprehension questions about the article.

1
What is the name of the NASA mission in this article?
2
When will the rocket launch?
3
How long will the trip take?
4
Why is this mission called historic?
5
What is special about Christina Koch on this mission?

Further Discussion

Share your opinions on these open-ended questions.

1
Would you like to travel to space? Why or why not?
2
What do you think astronauts eat in space?
3
Have you ever watched a rocket launch on TV?
4
If you could visit the moon, what would you do there?
5
Do you think people will live on the moon one day?