How We Make Rockets That Reach the Moon

Join Dr. Roger Billings and the Science Live team as we explore how we make rockets that reach the Moon, featuring NASA’s Artemis II mission — the first crewed return to the Moon in over 50 years!

In this lesson, discover what makes the massive SLS rocket so powerful: its giant solid rocket boosters, liquid hydrogen fuel, and the incredible engineering that lifts millions of pounds into space. You’ll also explore the advanced Orion spacecraft, the groundbreaking laser communication system that beamed HD video from 240,000 miles away, and the record-breaking 252,000-mile journey that took humans farther from Earth than ever before.

Whether you’re a budding space enthusiast, curious about the Artemis program, learning about rocket science, or dreaming of becoming an astronaut, this lesson has something for you. Perfect for students who want to understand the real engineering and technology behind sending rockets — and people — all the way to the Moon and beyond!

➡️ r-51’s Martian Pet Rock Guide

About DrB

Dr. Roger Billings is a visionary innovator whose work has touched the lives of millions of students and transformed the landscape of education. Widely known as “DrB” to the countless kids who benefit from his groundbreaking Acellus learning system, Dr. Billings has dedicated his life to advancing education through technology. As part of DrB’s lifelong commitment to supporting education, Science LIVE was launched as a way to “give back” by mentoring students in conjunction with the Roger Billings Scholarship Program.


Read more about DrB » 
About the Roger Billings Scholarship Program »

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10,467 Comments

  1. Lilly

    The rockets looked so cool!! I really enjoyed todays live 🙂

    Reply
  2. Blaise

    I LOVE SPACE SO MUCH MAN

    Reply
  3. Milah

    That was so fascinating!! Thank you.

    Reply
  4. Elias

    Watching from Texas!!

    Reply
  5. Kenley

    Loved learning about the rockets!!!

    Reply
  6. Kinsley

    Those rockets were siccccccccc. IIIIII LLLLLOOOOOVVVVEEEE SSSSSCCCCIIIEEEENNNNCCCEEEE LLLLIVVVVVE. GO ROGER BILLING. R51 is always a hoot.

    Reply
  7. Bailee

    I love the moon

    Reply
  8. Alison

    W r51

    Reply
  9. Brendan

    the r51 made a mood rock was so cool it really intrigued me

    Reply
  10. Sadie

    Hii from Texas! This video was great!

    Reply
  11. Logan

    I really like science live.

    Reply
  12. Adriel

    The r51 was an amazing launch.

    Reply
  13. Jacob

    That’s crazy that the toilets broke😭😂

    Reply
  14. Alexis

    The part where r51 got some rocks and made himself and patet monai was so funny! Was it not?🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😝😜😝😜😝😜😝😜😝😜😝😜😜😝😜😝😜😝😜😝😜😝😜😝😜😝😜😝😜😝😜😝😜😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹😹👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻👻🧝‍♀️🧝‍♀️🧝‍♀️🧝‍♀️🧝‍♀️🧝‍♀️🧝‍♀️🧝‍♀️🧝‍♀️🧑‍🚀i also like the part about the rockets going to space!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!👩🏼‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀👩‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑🏻‍🚀👩‍🚀👩‍🚀👩‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀🧑‍🚀

    Reply
  15. Jade

    this was my favorite video, i learned so much

    Reply
  16. Caleb

    I love space and learning more about rockets

    Reply
  17. Jensen

    Love the space talk this week. I would love to go up in space and look at Earth.

    Reply
  18. Blaise

    I never knew all that stuff about the first spaceship to land on the moon

    Reply
  19. Jared

    I thought that the part where Dr. John was showing the footage of the men in the rocket was amazing.

    Reply
  20. Kayleigh

    You are the best mentor

    Reply
  21. Aria

    This science live was super interesting today! Love all the videos!

    Reply
  22. Journey

    omg! i love the moon rock that r51 made! so dope!

    Reply
  23. Kaila

    r51 is awesome lol

    Reply
  24. Jonathan

    I love science

    Reply
  25. Emma

    This was so interesting!!

    Reply
  26. Allie

    great video this week you guys!

    Reply
  27. Albert

    I’m loving all of the space themed science lives!

    Reply
  28. Isabella

    best video ever

    Reply
  29. Molly

    I thought it was cool that they made really big parachutes. They looked neat!

    Reply
  30. Derek

    I wish a can go to the moon

    Reply
  31. Chelsea

    lol I can’t. R-51 😀

    Reply
  32. Kenzie

    Nice job with science live this week!!!

    Reply
  33. Riley

    Hi science live! I love your videos! They are amazing! hope you can reply one day! Love from Oklahoma.

    Reply
  34. Joseph

    Hi from TN.

    Reply
  35. Arden

    Rockets are so cool!

    Reply
  36. Antoinette

    This was an awesome video.

    Reply
  37. William

    Thats super fast!

    Reply
  38. Amy

    thank you for the live

    Reply
  39. Michael

    How can we improve rockets to deal with the harsh nature of space whilst extending their durability?

    Reply
  40. Cullen

    That’s actually kind of mind-blowing!

    Reply
  41. Seth

    The moon is so cool! I’ve been going on walks at night lately and I’ve just been loving looking up at it.

    Reply
  42. Karson

    Love the moon.

    Reply
  43. Molly

    I thought it was cool that they made really big parachutes.

    Reply
  44. Olivia

    love these videos see you next week

    Reply
  45. Hunter

    Being able to see the Earth from the moon is quite interesting!

    Reply
  46. Jase

    I love learning about rockets.

    Reply
  47. Joshua

    wow so cool, rockets are my favorite.

    Reply
  48. Flynn

    I like how you went around the moon

    Reply
  49. Tyler

    Its mind blowing how many complicated things have work properly for something like the Artemis 2 to go around the moon.

    Reply
  50. Sydney

    Rockets are so cool!

    Reply
  51. Kiara

    i love science! those rockets were interesting and big

    Reply
  52. Sadie

    I liked how the rocket went very high

    Reply
  53. Miles

    R51 is so cool

    Reply
  54. Taya

    I would love to learn more about the moon!9

    Reply
  55. Hazel

    hi my name is Hazel if you couldn’t already tell lol I really like science live and the funny video at the end of each science live actually makes me want to watch it because of the ending of the science live and I love hearing about how we managed to do things like create internet and spaceships because it shows how smart we can actually get if we try hard enough and I know that because I get mad at my art I make because I mess up but if I try hard enough and don’t get really mad I finish it and it doesn’t look weird anymore and I wanted to ask I already know how things like the internet and computers and spaceships are made/just working in general but how are phones made because sure I’m not very aware of phone making stuff but is it just like how you made computers or is there extra stuff to it? I don’t remember if you talked about it in a previous science live because I forget really easily if I don’t write stuff down okay that’s all I wanted to say lol

    Reply
  56. Qyanyizhah

    This is so cool! I love science live! ^^

    Reply
  57. Benson

    the fuel in the solid fuel rockets was aluminum powder, ammonium perchlorate and HTPB

    Reply
  58. Emiliya

    I loved todays science live. I am really interested in space and todays science live was particularly interesting.

    Reply
  59. Khloie

    thank you for the live

    Reply
  60. Rylee

    I loved the Plane story!

    Reply
  61. Brylen

    it is interesting what all rockets use for fuel.

    Reply
  62. Jordin

    Such a cool live this week!

    Reply
  63. Abigail

    I didn’t get to watch science live last night, so i’m watching today.😁🤗

    Reply
  64. Emma

    this is so much fun to watch these every week

    Reply
  65. Opal

    I am really interested in dinosaurs and the large crocodile. I want to search for fossils some day!

    Reply
  66. Rocky

    I love rockets and space!

    Reply
  67. Liam

    I loved this one.

    Reply
  68. Antonio

    Rockets are so awesome! They are so fun to watch!

    Reply
  69. Benjamin

    It’s cool how the media has gotten better over the years

    Reply
  70. Ryan

    I really loved the Artemis spaceships

    Reply
  71. Abigail

    It’s crazy how we’ve come so far as to making actual rockets. Like, imagine living around the time they invented those; literal science magics. Fun Live, I love r-51 🙂

    Reply
  72. Max

    this was cool

    Reply
  73. Ethan

    great since live cant wait to try new cores

    Reply
  74. Sofia

    Wow that’s so cool!

    Reply
  75. Theo

    Theo loved the rocket he told me when he grows up he wants to make a rocket but he’s gonna need to use fireworks.

    Reply
  76. Ellis

    It didn’t know there was a plan to make rocket fuel to return to eat. So cool !

    Reply
  77. Kaison

    I hope we’re able to reach mars soon!

    Reply
  78. Lilian

    i find it cool how they played music to wake the artiemis crew up in space.

    Reply
  79. Jaydynn

    Cool video

    Reply
  80. Phoenix

    after Mr. lears death his wife accomplished the completion of the propelled Lear jet and so interesting hearing Dr. billings sharing that story with us.

    Reply
  81. Zachary

    Comment I love learning about space and the moon. I enjoyed learning about the Orion spacecraft.

    Reply
  82. Quentin

    I like r51

    Reply
  83. Lincoln

    what is the satlite calld

    Reply
  84. Caroline

    Great episode!

    Reply
  85. Ayden

    I can’t wait for the next Artemis mission!

    Reply
  86. William

    I am so excited to watch this. i love learning about rockets

    Reply
  87. Luna

    Space is so cool!!

    Reply
  88. Savannah

    LOLOL!! Thanks for this awesome video! Space is Really Really cool (as long as everyone is safe, hopes for all good stuff
    I really think the new classes sound really fun and cool and wonderfull! SO cool I love literature Thanks for all good things like this wonderfull Acellus Course! I really enjoy it! I love awesome R-51 and his cute space rocks! SO cool! So funny and smart! Thanks Awesome: Fun Acellus World and the really cool Science Fairs! LOL
    Thanks so much! Ya’ll make me extra-happy! LOLOL
    Space is awesome! Thanks Lots of Love Good Everyday!

    Reply
  89. Armando

    i look forward to this every week!

    Reply
  90. Elena

    What happened to the proteges?

    Reply
  91. Brea

    Loved this episode, Hello from GA!

    Reply
  92. Allison

    Science Live <3

    Reply
  93. Elleny

    Thanks for the information.

    Reply
  94. Riley

    Watching from TN. R51 is awesome

    Reply
  95. Taran

    This was a really fun Science Live!

    Reply
  96. Matthew

    Wow, rockets are so cool. I can’t believe they’re a real thing sometimes.

    Reply
  97. Brody

    It is crazy that people went around the moon.

    Reply
  98. Evelynn

    That crocodile dinosaur explanation sounded super cool, I’d love to know more about it.

    Reply
  99. Iszabeaux

    the artemis mission was so inspiring as a woman pursuing stem !!!

    Reply
  100. Liam

    So fun as usual

    Reply
  101. Evelyn

    this was such a fun video 🙂

    Reply
  102. Emma

    It was so fun learning about the rockets. thank you for an amazing science live

    Reply
  103. Ayden

    I want to go to the moon.

    Reply
  104. Kevin

    As a person who loves space and the stars this was a mind blowing and fun video as always Thank you all!

    Reply
  105. Jade

    the fuel in the side rockets is called polybutadiene acrylonitrile or PBAN. I googled it

    Reply
  106. Scarlett

    R51 never fails to make me smile.

    Reply
  107. Lauren

    Logging on for this week’s science live! 🙂

    Reply
  108. Lexie

    Loved this so much!!!

    Reply
  109. Madison

    This was such an awesome video, can’t wait to see more!

    Reply
  110. Egor

    The pet rock is sooo cool, I wish I had one!!

    Reply
  111. Olivia

    How do you make rocket ships?

    Reply
  112. Elijah

    R-51 is so funny! I can’t wait for the next science live!

    Reply
  113. Amelia

    I love science live!!

    Reply
  114. Colton

    i love space it is so interesting

    Reply
  115. Dominic

    so happy to lern about the moon

    Reply
  116. Kaylee

    I love space!

    Reply
  117. Aurora

    I’ve always had an interest in hydrogen. I cant wait for next science live!!!!

    Reply
  118. Colson

    How long is the rocket?

    Reply
  119. Levi

    I really like rockets so I really enjoyed this.

    Reply
  120. Brayden

    I like the show

    Reply
  121. Vince

    I enjoy learning about the rockets they are fascinating!

    Reply
  122. Landen

    i forgot to comment but great lesson!

    Reply
  123. Keegan

    Its really cool what a Deinosuchus looks like.

    Reply
  124. Leah

    Great Live! It is crazy to think that we are sending people to space to discover other planets in our solar system. It just blows me away!

    Reply
  125. Bodhi

    Really excited for the new English 4 Class!

    Reply
  126. Kai

    Cool rockets

    Reply
  127. Kyree

    I can’t wait to do the new class!

    Reply
  128. Tessa

    I love learning more about rockets and space this recent launch was really cool!!

    Reply
  129. Caitlyn

    wow I learned so much from this

    Reply
  130. Jenique

    This was so cool!!

    Reply
  131. Guled

    This science live was intresting!

    Reply
  132. Maximiliano

    I love Science!

    Reply
  133. Bryson

    I love learning about space!

    Reply
  134. Gideon

    The Artemis mission is so cool

    Reply
  135. Taylor

    I can’t believe rockets are real it’s so cool to learn about them!

    Reply
  136. Benjamin

    the rockets looked small in pictures but super big in real life

    Reply
  137. Georgia

    Amazingly Awesome!!!!😻
    I really like spoace so thanks for the video!

    Reply
  138. Delilah

    this is awesome!!

    Reply
  139. Asher

    how do people no how dinosaur fossils look like?

    Reply
  140. Marcel

    That is a big rocket, so cool.

    Reply
  141. Kylie

    I love the moon rock

    Reply
  142. Myla

    hi besties!

    Reply
  143. Sophie

    This was such a great science live! Can’t wait for next weeks.

    Reply
  144. Milana

    Rockets are so cool!

    Reply
  145. Valery

    This is so cool!

    Reply
  146. Charles

    I like r51

    Reply
  147. Jenerrah

    Wow, this is an interesting topic this week!

    Reply
  148. Megan

    Great video!

    Reply
  149. Ayanna

    I think the moon rock that r51 made is amazing!

    Reply
  150. Jade

    how long does it take the two solid rockets of fuel to be completely used and fall off?

    Reply
  151. Justin

    This science live was super cool!!

    Reply
  152. Adam

    i love science live

    Reply
  153. Guy

    Really interesting that someday people may live on Mars.

    Reply
  154. Aiden

    Science live is great

    Reply
  155. Daniel

    R51 is soooo cool. I also love the moon rock it made!

    Reply
  156. Shiloh

    hi everyone

    Reply
  157. Elisa

    Great live!

    Reply
  158. Shyanne

    Science lives are the highlight of my week!!

    Reply
  159. Todd

    I loved learning about artimes 2 and i cant wait for us to build that lunar station and land on the moon 🙂

    Reply
  160. Hunter

    random question what inspired you and Pajet to start science live?

    Reply
  161. Jake

    I love r51

    Reply
  162. Hayden

    Rockets are very fascinating.

    Reply
  163. Ben

    What a lovely discussion on the progress of the astounding mission of the Artemis 2.

    Reply
  164. Myla

    Interesting always. there’s always some fun little fact to learn in these videos

    Reply
  165. Makina

    I loved this episode

    Reply
  166. Isla

    Really interesting video!

    Reply
  167. Anaiah

    Those rockets looked so cool!! I love science live!

    Reply
  168. Layla

    I like Saturn.

    Reply
  169. Joshua

    hello everyone

    Reply
  170. Nadia

    Loved it! Cant wait for next week!

    Reply
  171. Alina

    Scince Live Rocks!!!

    Reply
  172. Riley

    NASN launched a rocket that went around the moon and back to earth. They also took photos on the moon.

    Reply
  173. Eliza

    this was a great live

    Reply
  174. Dominic

    An episode going in depth towards the Artemis II mission, from the engineering of their ship to what they saw, was so cool! It is something truly jaw opening to be reminded what humans can do. Great episode as always.

    Reply
  175. Remington

    I was always fascinated by rockets.

    Reply

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