Watch: SpaceX rocket spotted off Christmas Island coast
Wednesday, 19 August 2026
Warm-up
- What do you know about SpaceX and its rockets?
- Have you ever seen something unusual near the sea?
- Should space companies be responsible for debris in the ocean?
Vocabulary
- tow
- to pull something behind a boat or vehicle, usually with a rope or cable
- debris
- broken pieces of something that has been destroyed or damaged
- resident
- a person who lives in a particular place
- glimpse
- a quick look at something
- tourism
- activities and services for people visiting a place for pleasure
- incredible
- very surprising or hard to believe in a positive way
- launch
- the act of sending a rocket, ship, or product out for the first time
- authorities
- official organizations or people in power who make decisions
Reading
Residents on Australia’s Christmas Island say they have seen a SpaceX rocket being towed just off the coast in the Indian Ocean. The 52-metre vehicle came from a test flight launched from Texas on 24 July and ended in the sea. For weeks it was out of sight, but now it has reappeared near the island.
David Watchorn, chair of the Christmas Island Tourism Association, said he first thought the shapes on the water were ships on his way to work. Then he realised it was “a rocket, a space rocket” under tow. He called the sight “incredible”.
The rocket’s return has caused a stir among locals. Some people left their desks for a glimpse, while others got their boats ready for a closer look at the debris near shore. Authorities have not confirmed where the rocket will go next, but for now it sits in the water off Christmas Island, drawing cameras and curiosity.
Comprehension
- Where did people spot the SpaceX rocket?
- When did the test flight from Texas take place?
- How long is the rocket described in the report?
- Who first realised it was a rocket being towed?
- What did some locals do when the rocket appeared?
Grammar focus
Prepositions of place
Prepositions of place tell us where something is (in, on, at, off, beside). Use the correct word to show the location: which side, surface or area. (Examples constructed.)
- A rocket sat off the island, bobbing on the water.
- Locals watched from their boats near the debris.
Grammar exercise
Circle the correct option in each sentence.
- Debris from the rocket floated (on / in) the ocean.
- Locals watched (on / from) their boats.
- Cameras zoomed (on / at) the rocket under tow.
- The rocket remained (at / off) the reef.
- A boat stopped (beside / besides) the debris.
Discussion
- Should space debris be recovered or left at sea? Why?
- How could this sighting affect tourism on Christmas Island?
- What safety rules are needed when debris is near the coast?
- Who should pay for clean-up after rocket launches?
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