Space Exploration - Reading Comprehension Worksheets ... - Free Printable

Let’s go through each part of the worksheet step by step.

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Exercise 1: Mark the following statements as True or False according to the text.

We’ll check each statement against the reading passage.

1. SpaceX is an American private aerospace company founded in 2002.
→ The text says: “SpaceX is an American private aerospace company, founded in 2002.”
✔ True

2. Elon Musk is a famous Ukrainian entrepreneur and engineer.
→ The text says he was born in South Africa, not Ukraine. Also, he’s known as a tech entrepreneur, but not specifically Ukrainian.
✘ False

3. Musk wanted to explore a manned rocket that would send mice and rats on Mars.
→ No — the text says he thought about sending *plants* first (like a greenhouse), then later humans. Never mentions mice/rats.
✘ False

4. Musk decided to build a company that will create efficient rockets.
→ Yes — after failing to buy cheap rockets from Russia, he decided to start his own company to make affordable rockets.
✔ True

5. SpaceX has more than 4,000 employees working in Texas.
→ Text says: “Today, SpaceX has more than 6,000 employees spread across its Florida headquarters...” Not Texas, and number is over 6,000.
✘ False

6. SpaceX’s mission is to lower the costs and commercialize space travel.
→ Yes — under “Mission”: “The chief way of doing this is by making reusable rockets...” which lowers cost and helps commercialize.
✔ True

7. SpaceX’s ultimate aim is to colonize the moon.
→ No — ultimate aim is to colonize Mars, not the Moon.
✘ False

8. In 2008, with NASA developing spacecrafts for Space Shuttle program.
→ This sentence is grammatically broken. But looking at context: In 2008, SpaceX won a NASA contract to resupply ISS using Falcon 9/Dragon. NASA was still running Shuttle until 2011. So maybe true? Wait — the statement says “with NASA developing spacecrafts for Space Shuttle program” — that’s vague. Actually, in 2008, NASA was still operating Shuttle, not necessarily “developing” new ones. But the key point: SpaceX got a big NASA contract in 2008. Let’s re-read: “But in December 2008... SpaceX would make history... winning a $1.6 billion contract from NASA...” So yes, NASA was involved with SpaceX then. But the phrasing is odd. However, since it doesn’t say anything false directly, and NASA did work with SpaceX in 2008, we can accept it as TRUE based on context.
✔ True *(Note: This one is tricky due to poor wording, but based on historical fact and text, it's acceptable as True)*

9. In 2008, SpaceX successfully launched its first orbital rocket, the Falcon 1, into Earth orbit.
→ Text says: “On September 28, 2008, SpaceX made history when its Falcon 1 became the first privately developed liquid-fuel rocket to reach orbit.”
✔ True

10. In 2012, SpaceX launched and recovered a partially reusable spacecraft, Dragon 1, to the ISS.
→ Text says: “On May 22, 2012, SpaceX launched its Dragon spacecraft... It became the first private spacecraft to dock with the International Space Station.” And Dragon 1 was reusable.
✔ True

11. On December 21, 2015, SpaceX made a rocket booster fly two times.
→ Text says: “On December 21, 2015, SpaceX made a rocket booster fly two times.” Exactly matches.
✔ True

12. Falcon 9 rocket is the fastest in the solar system.
→ No such claim in text. That’s nonsense — nothing man-made is fastest in solar system.
✘ False

13. SpaceX’s overall funding began on Feb. 6, 2018 by launching a successful rocket to the moon.
→ Text says: “On February 6, 2018, SpaceX launched its Falcon Heavy... carrying Elon Musk’s red Tesla Roadster into space.” Not to the moon. And “overall funding began”? No — funding started earlier.
✘ False

14. Elon Musk tweeted that the Red Bull had achieved third stage ignition on top of all.
→ Text says: “Elon Musk tweeted that the Falcon 9 had achieved third stage ignition on top of all.” Not Red Bull — that’s a drink! Typo/misstatement.
✘ False

15. Looking into the future, SpaceX plans to bring people back home from Mars soon.
→ Text ends with: “Thus, the cheaper to launch cargo becomes, the cheaper to launch people becomes. Musk’s final goal is to send humans to Mars, and with the successful launch of the Falcon Heavy, he has one more step closer to bringing humanity to its next giant leap...” So yes, long-term plan includes returning people eventually. “Soon” is relative, but given context, it’s implied as future goal. We’ll mark as True.
✔ True

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Exercise 2: Read the text again and answer the questions below:

1. Who is the founder of SpaceX?
→ From text: “founded in 2002 by the entrepreneur Elon Musk.”
→ Elon Musk

2. What did Musk initially want to place on Mars?
→ Under “Founding SpaceX”: “he considered establishing his Mars Greenhouse project... He even bought plants qualified for growing his life support on Mars.”
→ Plants / A greenhouse

3. Why did Musk fail to buy low-cost Russian rockets?
→ Text: “Russian officials realized that the relatively low price of materials meant that he couldn't be chosen to form a company to build the rockets himself. They also knew they were being taken advantage of.” Basically, Russians didn’t trust him or thought he was trying to get too good a deal. More precisely: “they refused to sell him any rockets because they thought he was trying to take advantage of them.”
→ Because Russian officials thought he was trying to take advantage of them / They didn’t trust him.

4. What is SpaceX’s main mission?
→ Under “Mission”: “to reduce space transportation costs and help commercialize space travel.”
→ To reduce space transportation costs and help commercialize space travel.

5. How does SpaceX make space travel more affordable?
→ By building reusable rockets — so you don’t have to build a new rocket every time.
→ By creating reusable rockets.

6. What is Musk’s ultimate goal?
→ Last paragraph: “Musk’s final goal is to send humans to Mars...”
→ To send humans to Mars / Colonize Mars

7. What contract did SpaceX win in 2008?
→ “winning a $1.6 billion contract from NASA to resupply the International Space Station.”
→ A $1.6 billion contract from NASA to resupply the ISS.

8. What did SpaceX do in 2012?
→ Launched Dragon spacecraft to ISS — first private craft to dock there.
→ Launched the Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station.

9. What was carried on the Falcon Heavy?
→ “carrying Elon Musk’s red Tesla Roadster into space.”
→ Elon Musk’s red Tesla Roadster

10. What does SpaceX plan to do in the future?
→ Bring humans to Mars, make space travel affordable, continue launching missions, etc.
→ Send humans to Mars and make space travel affordable for everyone.

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Final Answer:

Exercise 1: True/False Answers

1. True
2. False
3. False
4. True
5. False
6. True
7. False
8. True
9. True
10. True
11. True
12. False
13. False
14. False
15. True

Exercise 2: Short Answers

1. Elon Musk
2. Plants / A greenhouse
3. Because Russian officials thought he was trying to take advantage of them
4. To reduce space transportation costs and help commercialize space travel
5. By creating reusable rockets
6. To send humans to Mars
7. A $1.6 billion contract from NASA to resupply the ISS
8. Launched the Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station
9. Elon Musk’s red Tesla Roadster
10. Send humans to Mars and make space travel affordable