Shourya was very much interested in learning about space and people who went to the moon.
He one day asked his mother about what do you do to go to the moon.
His mother said “ To become an astronaut, you need to study science, math and english.
You have to use a rocket to go to the moon in the space.
And you have to be trained for one year to walk, work, eat, float and sleep in a special suit wearing an oxygen mask all the time.”
“But mom why do they need an oxygen mask and a special suit?” Asked Shourya.
“Since the space and the moon do not have air like on our earth, they have to wear an oxygen mask so that they can breathe in the space and on moon.
They have to practice working in zero gravity wearing their special suit.” Explained Shourya’ mom.
“Mom! What is gravity?” again Shourya asked.
“Son, on earth we are able to walk, stand and jump because of the earth’s gravity. It’s like we are all balloons filled with air. We will fly away here and there unless something holds us down. The earth pulls us with an invisible thread. This invisible pulling thread is called gravity of the earth.
If we go to the moon, the thread is not pulled very strongly by the moon. And so people on the moon can float like balloons. And there is also the chance that they may float away from the moon into the space!
So to make sure that people stay on the moon’s ground, the suit they wear is made of special material that makes it heavy.
Have you seen how the balloon filled with air easily floats away. But when it’s filled with water, it becomes heavy and does not float away. Same way heavy suits keep the people on moon, on ground and don’t allow them to float away.” Explained mom.
Shourya was very pleased and began to study science happily.

NEW WORDS
Astronaut
Oxygen
Mask
Space
Space Suit
Gravity
Float
Invisible
Thread
Material

Q1. What was Shourya interested in this story?

Q2. Who is an Astronaut?

Q3. What do you need to learn to become an Astronaut?

Q4. Why does an Astronaut need an Oxygen Mask?

Q5. What is the use of space suit?

Q6. Which is heavier, a balloon filled with air or a balloon filled with water?

Q7. What is Gravity?

Fun with space sites
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html

http://www.kidsastronomy.com

http://www.kidsites.com/sites-edu/space.htm