2ElementaryKidsAges 7-9Science

Two Space Companies Want to Go to Mars!

Two space companies both want to build a spaceship for Mars! NASA picked one company, but the other company says it is not fair. It is an exciting race to the Red Planet!

1 min readLevel 2September 13, 2026

By Flalingo Editorial Team

Vocabulary

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

planet

/ˈplænɪt/

noun

A big round thing in space that goes around a star

“Mars is a red planet.”

spaceship

/ˈspeɪsʃɪp/

noun

A machine that flies in space

“The spaceship will go to Mars.”

company

/ˈkʌmpəni/

noun

A group of people who work together to make or do things

“The company builds rockets.”

build

/bɪld/

verb

To make something by putting parts together

“They will build a new spaceship.”

fly

/flaɪ/

verb

To move through the air or space

“Birds fly in the sky.”

race

/reɪs/

noun

A game where people try to be first or fastest

“The race to Mars is exciting!”

Listen to Article

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Article

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

Mars is a big red planet. It is very far away! Two space companies want to fly there. NASA asked them to build a spaceship. The spaceship will send messages from Mars.

NASA picked a company called Blue Origin. Blue Origin will build the spaceship. But another company called Rocket Lab is sad. Rocket Lab wanted the job too! Rocket Lab says the choice was not fair.

The spaceship will fly to Mars soon. It will get there by 2030. That is so exciting! Both companies love space. The race to Mars is fun to watch!

Comprehension Quiz

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

1
What color is Mars?
2
Which company did NASA pick?
3
What will the spaceship do on Mars?
4
How does Rocket Lab feel about the choice?

Discussion

Answer these comprehension questions about the article.

1
What planet do the companies want to fly to?
2
What company did NASA pick?
3
What does Rocket Lab say about the choice?
4
What will the spaceship do on Mars?
5
When will the spaceship get to Mars?

Further Discussion

Share your opinions on these open-ended questions.

1
Would you like to visit Mars one day?
2
What would you take on a trip to space?
3
Can you think of other planets you know?
4
What is your favorite thing about space?
5
If you had a spaceship, where would you go?

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