Space Camp is an educational
camp in
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is the List of municipalities in Alabama, most populous city in the U.S. state of Alabama. The population of the city is estimated to be 241,114 in 2024, making it the List of United States cities by population, 100th-most populous ...
, on the grounds of the
U.S. Space & Rocket Center (USSRC) museum near
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...
's
Marshall Space Flight Center
Marshall Space Flight Center (officially the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center; MSFC), located in Redstone Arsenal, Alabama (Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville postal address), is the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government's ...
. It provides educational programs for children and adults on topics such as
space exploration
Space exploration is the process of utilizing astronomy and space technology to investigate outer space. While the exploration of space is currently carried out mainly by astronomers with telescopes, its physical exploration is conducted bo ...
,
aviation
Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' include fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air aircraft such as h ...
, and
robotics
Robotics is the interdisciplinary study and practice of the design, construction, operation, and use of robots.
Within mechanical engineering, robotics is the design and construction of the physical structures of robots, while in computer s ...
. It is run by the Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission.
History
Space Camp was founded in 1982 by USSRC Executive Director Edward O. Buckbee as an educational camp to promote mathematics and science to children using the
U.S. space program as a basis. The idea for the camp was proposed by
Wernher von Braun
Wernher Magnus Maximilian Freiherr von Braun ( ; ; 23 March 191216 June 1977) was a German–American aerospace engineer and space architect. He was a member of the Nazi Party and '' Allgemeine SS'', the leading figure in the development of ...
in 1977 while touring the USSRC, where he noticed a group of students taking notes on what they were learning.
U.S. Space & Rocket Center Education Foundation
The U.S. Space & Rocket Center and the camp in
Huntsville
Huntsville is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Alabama. The population of the city is estimated to be 241,114 in 2024, making it the 100th-most populous city in the U.S. The Huntsville metropolitan area had an estimated 525,465 ...
are operated by the Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission, a state agency whose members are appointed by the Governor of Alabama. The U.S. Space & Rocket Center Foundation is a separate non-profit entity and its board members are not appointed by the governor. It is responsible for scholarship, fundraising, and the licensing of camps outside the United States.
Programs
The center offers several programs. Space Camp was the first of the camp programs offered, and is used also as the umbrella organization name.
* Space Camp is a "six-day" (really four-and-a-half days -- Sunday afternoon through Friday 9am) program offered for children between 9 and 11 years old. Children study space, aviation, and robotics.
* Space Academy is intended for ages 12–14 and is also offered in six-day sessions.
* Advanced Space Academy is designed for 15 to 18-year-olds. The program was originally known as Space Academy Level II and was started in the Fall of 1987. In 1987, the Space Academy Level II program was college accredited (1 hour) through the University of Alabama Huntsville.
* The Family Camp program allows parents or guardians to attend Space Camp with their child. The program is run throughout the year, and lasts three to four days. Family Camp also has an Aviation Challenge option during summer months.
* Advanced Space Academy Elite is offered to graduates of the Advanced Space Academy program.
Additionally, Space Camp has previously offered a twelve-day Advanced Space Academy program that included features such as multiple missions, scuba diving, use of some of the Aviation Challenge facilities, and a twenty-four-hour extended duration mission.
Other programs
Other programs include corporate programs, programs for adults and educators, educational field-trips for school groups, and the X-Camp outdoor leadership camp. There were also special alumni sessions during the summer of the 25th anniversary.
Occasionally themed camps have been offered, usually in conjunction with museum exhibits. During the summer of 2010, a Jedi Experience camp was offered in connection with the traveling museum exhibit
''Star Wars'': Where Science Meets Imagination.
Aviation Challenge
The Aviation Challenge (AC) is a set of aviation-oriented programs at the camp, consisting of three programs for children from ages 9–18. The camps utilize computer-based flight simulators, which train attendees to fly, act, and think like fighter pilots.
Facilities
Simulators
There are several simulators at Space Camp, such as:
*The
Multi-Axis Trainer (MAT) simulates
disorientation
Orientation is a function of the mind involving awareness of three dimensions: time, place and person. Problems with orientation lead to ''dis''orientation, and can be due to various conditions. It ranges from an inability to coherently understand ...
, similar to the Multiple Axis Space Test Inertia Facility (MASTIF) developed for
Project Mercury
Project Mercury was the first human spaceflight program of the United States, running from 1958 through 1963. An early highlight of the Space Race, its goal was to put a man into Earth orbit and return him safely, ideally before the Soviet Un ...
*The 1/6 Chair simulates walking on the
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It Orbit of the Moon, orbits around Earth at Lunar distance, an average distance of (; about 30 times Earth diameter, Earth's diameter). The Moon rotation, rotates, with a rotation period (lunar ...
*The 5DF Chair simulates the frictionless environment of
outer space in five
degrees of freedom
In many scientific fields, the degrees of freedom of a system is the number of parameters of the system that may vary independently. For example, a point in the plane has two degrees of freedom for translation: its two coordinates; a non-infinite ...
*The
Manned Maneuvering Unit
The Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) is an astronaut propulsion unit that was used by NASA on three Space Shuttle missions in 1984. The MMU allowed the astronauts to perform untethered Extravehicular activity, extravehicular spacewalks at a dist ...
(MMU) simulates working untethered in a frictionless environment, such as during
extravehicular activity
Extravehicular activity (EVA) is any activity done by an astronaut in outer space outside a spacecraft. In the absence of a breathable atmosphere of Earth, Earthlike atmosphere, the astronaut is completely reliant on a space suit for environme ...
(also known as an EVA or spacewalk).
Space Camp additionally uses rides or attractions that are on site at the USSRC as instructional tools. The
Space Shot simulates
liftoff, and the
G-Force Accelerator simulates the
G-force
The g-force or gravitational force equivalent is a Specific force, mass-specific force (force per unit mass), expressed in Unit of measurement, units of standard gravity (symbol ''g'' or ''g''0, not to be confused with "g", the symbol for ...
s put on
astronaut
An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a List of human spaceflight programs, human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member of a spa ...
s while re-entering the Earth's atmosphere or during launch.
The Intuitive Planetarium provides a venue for presenting space and science-oriented shows produced through a Digistar 7 system and 5 Christie laser projectors.
The planetarium is part of the center's museum complex.
In February 2019, the Intuitive Planetarium replaced the Spacedome
IMAX
IMAX is a proprietary system of High-definition video, high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and movie theater, theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (image), aspect ratio (approximately ei ...
theater, which had operated at the Center since 1982.
Accommodation
If a Space Camp program extends beyond a single day, participants are accommodated at either Habitat 1 or Habitat 2. These habitats are facilities that house both the trainers and trainees. These are mainly used by the Space Academy campers.
Aviation Challenge trainees stay in Habitat 3 where they are required to maintain military standards to their bays and racks.
Both habitats are segregated between male and female campers, usually being the males on the first floor and the females being on the second.
Other camps
There are a number of internationally licensed Space Camps, including
Space Camp Turkey,
Space Camp Canada (), and Space Camp Belgium. There have been other space camps in the United States in the past, but they have been closed.
Space Camp Florida
Space Camp Florida was established in 1988 and shared facilities with the
Astronaut Hall of Fame in
Titusville,
Florida
Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
, both of which were operated by the now-defunct U.S. Space Camp Foundation. The Space Camp facility in Florida closed in 2002 due to low attendance, which led to financial difficulties. About 50,000 students attended the camp during its run, but in its final year, as few as 14 participants filled 276 slots. The Astronaut Hall of Fame was sold to the
Delaware North
Delaware North is an American multinational food service and hospitality company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. The company also operates in the lodging, sporting, airport, gambling, and entertainment industries. The company employs over 5 ...
corporation and remained open until 2015 as an added attraction to the
Kennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC, originally known as the NASA Launch Operations Center), located on Merritt Island, Florida, is one of the NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) ten NASA facilities#List of field c ...
Visitor Complex, with several simulators previously used by the camp available to all visitors. , the building was being used by
Lockheed Martin
The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American Arms industry, defense and aerospace manufacturer with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta on March 15, 1995. It is headquartered in North ...
to support work on the NASA
Orion crew capsule.
Space Camp California
Space Camp California was operated by the now-defunct U.S. Space Camp Foundation at
Mountain View, California
Mountain View is a city in Santa Clara County, California, United States, part of the San Francisco Bay Area. Named for its views of the Santa Cruz Mountains, the population was 82,376 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census.
Mountain V ...
from 1996 to 2002, when it closed due to financial difficulties.
Space Camp Hall of Fame
The Space Camp Hall of Fame was inaugurated in 2007 during the 25th-anniversary celebrations. The Hall was established to honor alumni and former employees by recognizing their contributions and personal time spent at the Space Camp.
See also
*
Space Camp Turkey
*
Space Camp Spain
*
European Space Camp
European Space Camp (ESC) is a summer camp for youths aged 17–20, which focuses on giving a hands-on experience into the field of aerospace engineering and space sciences. Participants from all over Europe and the world stay at the Andøya Spac ...
References
External links
*
Space Camp for Interested Visually Impaired Students (SCI-VIS)Youth U.S. Space Campfor Hong Kong students to U.S. Space and Rocket Center in August each year
{{authority control
Summer camps in Alabama
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
U.S. Space & Rocket Center
1982 establishments in Alabama
Wernher von Braun