Has anyone ever been to space camp?

[Jeff]

I recently stumbled upon this inspiring music clip, and was wondering whether any IceInSpace members have ever been to Space Camp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY0xwRIGOdc

[tlgerdes (Trevor)]

No, but are seriously considering it as part of our next holiday in the US. There is info on the NASA website about it.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by tlgerdes

No, but are seriously considering it as part of our next holiday in the US. There is info on the NASA website about it.

I can see anthony being your drill sergeant

[Davros (Lauren)]

My missus refers to Astro Fest as 'space camp'

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

I've also heard it called a Geek Fest. LOL

[seeker372011 (Narayan)]

I thought its mainly for school kids..my niece went a couple of years ago and got the T shirt to prove it

[tlgerdes (Trevor)]

ATX Family

Explore the final frontier together during Family Astronaut Training Experience (ATX) at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

Your family will spend two days immersed in astronaut training, riding realistic simulators and building and launching your own rockets. You will meet a veteran NASA astronaut and spend time exploring Kennedy Space Center on a very special tour designed for Family Astronaut Training Experience participants. Finally, you will work together to perform a space shuttle mission to the International Space Station in a full-scale orbiter mock-up and fully outfitted mission control facility.
Ages: 8 and older
Price: $625 (plus tax) for first two participants ($275 each additional participant)
Daily Schedule:
Day 1
2:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Meet the ATX instructors and your new teammates, and get checked into your hotel. Next, board a KSC bus for a private tour of Kennedy Space Center. Walk in the heroic footsteps of America’s astronauts from Alan Shepard to today’s space shuttle astronaut pilots and scientists.
From there, you’ll head to the Training Facility at the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame® for a pizza party and a lively presentation about the rigors of spaceflight and its effect on the human body. The day concludes with building your model rocket for the next day's launch.
Day 2
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Mission Day! Your day begins at the Training Facility with a space shuttle briefing to prepare you for your space shuttle mission to the International Space Station. Experience realistic spaceflight simulators and begin learning how to perform your mission assignment. Before you launch, enjoy a buffet lunch where you will meet a veteran NASA astronaut. You will have time to ask questions about what spaceflight is really like, and receive an autographed photo of one of America's heroic space explorers. Then it’s back to the Training Facility for the culmination of ATX - launching your model rocket and taking part in a successful space shuttle mission!

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

The closest thing I have found in Victoria, but only for school age students, is this:

http://www.vssec.vic.edu.au/

The kids these days can do some really cool stuff, I would have loved to "go to Mars" when I was young.

[Jeff]

I remember seeing the movie SpaceCamp on video years ago. About a group of young teenagers who are on space camp in the US, and get "shuttle launched" along with their space camp instructor. They then have to execute a real mission including getting safely landed back on Earth. Not a great movie, but enough to fire the imaginations of younger kids.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceCamp

No, but are seriously considering it as part of our next holiday in the US. There is info on the NASA website about it.

Hehehe. I spent a day at the Kennedy Space Centre back in 1990 when the shuttle program was pretty new, and the Hubble had been recently launched. I loved it and could have easily spent 2 or 3 days there .... although the wife was happy with 1 day.

A work colleague of mine in Detroit was a HUGE Star Trek fan, which included dressing up as a Klingon, learning to speak Klingon, attending conventions etc. He went to "Star Trek Camp" where he got to star in a small episode on board a mocked-up enterprise bridge. He actually showed up the movie of it at his house after dinner one night. Yes, he was a Klingon!

I thought its mainly for school kids..my niece went a couple of years ago and got the T shirt to prove it

Yes, definitely for kids. But accompanying kids would still be a lot of fun and put a smile on my dial.

The closest thing I have found in Victoria, but only for school age students, is this:
http://www.vssec.vic.edu.au/
The kids these days can do some really cool stuff, I would have loved to "go to Mars" when I was young.

That's great Trevor - might keep this in mind for my youngest daughter who is keenly interested in science and space exploration.