SUMMARY

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket exploded on the launchpad during a test in Cape Canaveral on May 28. The company, owned by Jeff Bezos, said no one was injured and all personnel were accounted for. But the rocket has a crucial role in NASA’s Artemis program to return American astronauts to the surface of the moon. Amna Nawaz discussed its significance with science correspondent Miles O’Brien.

View the transcript of the story.

NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?

News alternative: Check out recent segments from the News Hour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.

WARM-UP QUESTIONS

1. Who owns the company Blue Origin?
2. Why did the New Glenn rocket experience problems?
3. What is the purpose of the Artemis program?
4. What other company contributing to the Artemis mission recently had a setback?
5. How will the setbacks impact the Artemis program's future goals?

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• Why do you think NASA is working with private companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin to carry out critical functions of its Artemis program?
• What do you think might be the longterm benefits of the Artemis program and a permanent base on the moon? Who do you think would most benefit, and how?

Media literacy: What did you learn about the Artemis moon mission from this segment? What questions are you left with about the mission, and how do you think you could find out more?

WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO

Find out more about the Artemis mission by visiting the NASA website. First, start by examining the following graphic from the NASA website. Then, explore each mission within the larger Artemis project by clicking on each and reading more. As a class, discuss:

• What is ultimately the goal of the Artemis mission?
• What are some of the potential benefits of the mission? Which benefits do you think will be most important or have the biggest impact for people in the United States, or for our understanding of science?
• Which aspects of the mission do you think might be the hardest to achieve?

Teachers: Are your students interested in designing spacecraft and other technology for space? Use the lesson plan Learn from NASA how to invent for any environment to better understand the special challenges of engineering for space exploration!

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