Space Exploration

26 Skills in Science. 17 are ready to try — three verified questions each, no account needed.

Ready to try

Ages 5–7
Moon Phases
Observe and describe the Moon's changing shape over about a month, recognising that it goes through a repeating cycle of phases from new moon (invisible) to full moon (complete circle) and back again
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 5–7
Sun, Moon & Stars
Identify the Sun, Moon, and stars as objects in the sky and describe basic differences: the Sun gives light and heat during the day, stars are tiny points of light at night, and the Moon can appear in both the day and night sky
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 5–7
What Astronauts Do
Know that astronauts are people who travel to space in rockets, that humans have walked on the Moon (Apollo missions), and that astronauts today live and work on the International Space Station
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 7–9
How Telescopes Work
Know that telescopes are instruments that help us see distant objects in space, and that space telescopes like Hubble and James Webb orbit above Earth’s atmosphere to get clearer views of the universe
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 7–9
Space Robots & Rovers
Describe how robots and rovers have explored places humans cannot easily go — Mars rovers like Curiosity and Perseverance drive across Mars taking photos, collecting rock samples, and searching for signs of past water
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 7–9
The Eight Planets
Name the eight planets in order from the Sun (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune), know that Pluto is a dwarf planet, and distinguish rocky inner planets from gas giant outer planets
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 7–9
The Moon's Orbit
Know that the Moon orbits Earth approximately once a month, that it does not make its own light but reflects sunlight, and that its changing appearance (phases) is caused by how much of the sunlit side we can see from Earth
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 9–11
Changing Ideas About Space
Understand that ideas about the solar system changed over time: ancient people believed Earth was at the centre (geocentric model, Ptolemy), until Copernicus proposed the Sun was at the centre (heliocentric model), later confirmed by Galil…
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 9–11
Life Cycle of Stars
Understand the basics of a star’s life cycle: stars are born in clouds of gas and dust (nebulae), shine for millions or billions of years by fusing hydrogen, and eventually die — massive stars explode as supernovae while smaller stars fade…
11 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 9–11
Seasonal Constellations
Recognise named constellations visible in different seasons and understand why we see different constellations at different times of year — because Earth’s orbit around the Sun changes which part of the sky we face at night
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 9–11
Space Exploration Milestones
Describe key milestones in human space exploration: the Space Race (Sputnik, Yuri Gagarin, Apollo 11 Moon landing), the Space Shuttle era, the International Space Station, and current missions (Artemis programme, Mars exploration plans, co…
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 9–11
The Vast Scale of Space
Describe the scale of the universe in nested layers: Earth is one planet in our solar system, the Sun is one star among billions in the Milky Way galaxy, and the Milky Way is one galaxy among billions in the universe
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 9–11
Why the Sun Looks Brightest
Explain why the Sun appears much brighter than other stars: it is the nearest star to Earth, not the biggest or brightest star in the universe — understanding the difference between apparent brightness (how bright something looks) and actu…
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 11–13
Observing with Light Waves
Explain how the electromagnetic spectrum is the primary tool of modern astronomy — different wavelengths (radio, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X-ray, gamma-ray) reveal different phenomena, why some telescopes must be in space, and what s…
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 12–13
Orbital Mechanics
Apply Newton's laws to explain orbital motion: why orbit is continuously falling sideways rather than floating; how a gravity assist (slingshot manoeuvre) transfers momentum from a planet to a spacecraft; and why rockets need to reach a sp…
10 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 12–14
Where Elements Come From
Explain stellar nucleosynthesis: the Big Bang produced mainly hydrogen and helium; main-sequence fusion builds elements up to iron; and supernovae produce elements heavier than iron and scatter them into space — meaning the atoms in our bo…
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 13–14
Journey to Mars
Evaluate the engineering and human challenges of long-duration spaceflight to Mars — radiation exposure, muscle and bone loss, psychological isolation, communication delays — and assess the current state of the SETI programme: what methods…
9 verified questions on this shelf

Being planted

These Skills are on the map, but their questions are still being written and checked.

Ages 5–7
Our Solar System
Coming soon
Ages 5–7
Spotting Constellations
Coming soon
Ages 7–9
Asteroids, Comets & Dwarf Planets
Coming soon
Ages 7–9
Earth's Spin & Orbit
Coming soon
Ages 7–9
Planet Features
Coming soon
Ages 7–9
The Sun is a star
Coming soon
Ages 9–11
Gravity Pulls Things Down
Coming soon
Ages 9–11
Scale of the Solar System
Coming soon
Ages 11–13
Finding Exoplanets
Coming soon

Skill names and descriptions include the Marble Skill Taxonomy © Generative Spark, Inc. (withmarble.com), licensed under ODbL 1.0 (database) and CC BY-SA 4.0 (content). Practice questions are GlowGrades's own, each checked by independent verifiers that must agree before a child ever sees it.