Blast Off with Fun Rocket Facts!

Did you know that the first rockets were invented about 800 years ago and were used for fireworks? Today, rockets are the vehicles that allow humans to explore outer space and may someday even take us as far away as Mars (let’s hope someone sends a post card!) Here are five fun facts about rockets that are out of this world: • The first rockets were used to launch fireworks in the 1200s. That’s about 800 years ago – that’s even before your grandparents were born! • Before sending humans to space, scientists sent dogs and monkeys (and they even wore spacesuits designed just for them!) Do you think they brought biscuits and bananas with them? • In April 1961, the first human used a giant rocket to journey into outer space. He circled the Earth for 108 minutes without getting dizzy! • It takes a rocket only 8 minutes to accelerate to a speed of 15,000 miles per hour / 24.000 kilometers per hour (but maybe longer if there is a space jam). • In order to burst through the gravity of Earth, a rocket must travel at speeds of 7 miles per second / 11 kilometers per second. That’s even faster than a cheetah, the fastest animal on Earth! It takes a very special, fearless person to explore the universe. Do you think you are brave enough to fly a rocket into space?