Space Camp was an incredible week of learning, experiences, and teacher fellowship. There is no other experience I would have liked to have closed out my summer representing education in West Virginia. Our last day in Huntsville included some free time to visit the grounds of the Rocket Park and the Davidson Center. I had made short trips to these all week, but it was nice to go back and see it all one more time. I wish I could share every picture I took with you...but here's the highlight reel.
First, let's visit the Rocket Park one more time...
I know...but you haven't seen it from this angle yet!
Centaur G-Prime designed to be carried on the space shuttle but was nixed after the Challenger disaster
Info on the Centaur
Another view of the Saturn IV replica
Skylab replica
Where's Berkeley?
View of the lunar module, Saturn IV, and Rockets
Now let's go back in the Davidson Center...oh wait! There were some exhibits in the building where they have the shuttle and lunar simulators, better go check those out while there's still the chance!
A space shuttle tire
The capsule that held Miss Baker and Abel
Berkeley in the Manned Maneuvering Unit
Okay, this was in the gift shop, but it's a space shuttle made out of KNEX. I love KNEX and Legos, so I had to take a picture of it.
Later that day, we heard from another astronaut, Bob Springer, who recounted his missions on the Space Shuttle. Dan Oates also shared with us the SCIVIS program (Space Camp for Interested Visually Impaired Students). All of the components of the shuttle simulator and mission control can be modified so that blind and low vision students can participate in the same experiences as other students. There are even Braille panels that cover the inside of the orbiter simulator so they can "fly" the shuttle as well.
Bob Springer
Weightless Flights
Liquid Salt and Pepper in Space
Team Destiny with Bob Springer
By this point, we were all a little tired and sad to leave each other, but it was time for graduation. This is where we received our wings walked across the stage with our team. A special addition to our ceremony was each of the teachers receiving a 300,000 Hours Unmanned Aircraft Systems coin from the U.S. Army Redstone Arsenal as recognition for our year of service.
Dorm mates suited up for graduation
It's time to graduate...but first, let's take a selfie :-D Photo by Ryan Devlin, Pennsylvania TOY
Being introduced
Coin and wings
Team Destiny after graduation
With a few hours of daylight left, I went back to the Davidson Center to walk the length of Saturn IV once more and look at the exhibits one last time. Some of these pictures I took earlier in the week.
An actual Quarantine Airstream used by the Apollo astronauts
Inside the Airstream
Sleeping quarters
A peek inside
A replica of the inside of Skylab
Water filtration unit (I think)
Apollo Lunar Module
Not a great picture, but this is the computer or "brain" of the Saturn IV
Where's Berkeley?
Didn't you know astronauts wore flip-flops in the lunar capsule? (Just kidding)
And like that, it was mission complete and back down to earth. After squeezing all our mementos and memories into our suitcases, we enjoyed each other's company the rest of the evening until it was time to get some rest and fly home the next morning. We'll reconvene one last time as a group in Princeton, New Jersey in October. Until then, it's back to work, school, and deciding how to best direct these experiences into a new mission.
On Wednesday our groups engaged in some NASA lesson plan instruction, then made our way to the astronaut simulators, located in the "gym" connected to the cafeteria. The two simulators we were able to experience were the Multi-Axis Trainer (MAT) chair and the 1/6 Gravity Chair. The MAT chair simulates free fall in an anti-gravity environment. You just whip around unexpectedly in every direction for 30 seconds to a minute - it doesn't make you dizzy or nauseous. The 1/6 Gravity Chair lets you experience how much gravity you would have on the moon and how you would move around in that environment. It's difficult if you don't have a lot of mass to begin with but fun to bounce around and try to make some purposeful movement.
Getting strapped in!
Whee!!!
Survived the MAT!
1/6 Gravity Chair
Trying to move forward!
I bounced a lot, but trying to "moon walk" not so much
After that we watched an IMAX on the history of the space shuttle program. It was neat to connect what we had experienced in the simulations that week to the "real thing." On the way over I had to get a few more pictures of Pathfinder. I kind of love this thing and all it stands for in the space program.
Pathfinder
Another side view
From the front
From the back
The shuttle would sit on this on the launch pad...
Some more info about Pathfinder.
That afternoon we had the opportunity to hear from the founder of Space Camp, Ed Buckbee. He is originally from Romney, West Virginia, and attended West Virginia University. Ed worked in public affairs for NASA and was the publicist for the original seven astronauts. He has written a book, The Real Space Cowboys, about his experience at NASA and working with the first men in space.
Ed Buckbee
The Original Seven
I really love this quote, not just for how it applies to the astronauts but for where I am right now in my life.
Another West Virginian that I can't go without mentioning is Dan Oates, the current coordinator of the Space Camp program. He is also from Romney and is a former teacher at the West Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind. Dan has made incredible contributions to the Space Camp program and making it accessible to students with disabilities. You can read more about Dan at this link (scroll to the bottom of the page, as Dan was in the first group of inductees into the Space Camp Hall of Fame.
We made a quick trip back to the dorms to change after dinner, then headed back to the Davidson Center to meet and hear some inspirational words from no other than Homer Hickam, former NASA engineer, author, and Coalwood, West Virginia, native.
Davidson Center
Saturn IV
It is suspended from the ceiling. Getting in one shot is impossible, but hopefully you can tell how amazing it is - it's truly a work of art.
Another view
Top section
The section where the astronauts would be located.
With my dorm mates Claire Bacus (American Samoa) LuAnn Lindskov (South Dakota) and Darleen Sutton (South Carolina)
I had been looking forward to this the entire trip. I was so excited to meet Homer because he represents to the students in West Virginia (and everywhere) that as he states, "planning, patience, and perseverance" can lift you out of your circumstances. I am so glad I had the chance to speak with him. Right before I moved on, I had an idea. No...don't ask. Then I thought of that quote from We Bought a Zoo about just taking "20 seconds" and decided to go for it.
Well of course! Berkeley has to write about meeting Homer, you know?
"Mr. Hickam, would you mind taping a short message for West Virginia students about the importance of focusing on their education?"
And that is why it never hurts to ask. Mr. Hickam gave a wonderful reflection on his life and the role of teachers in his life after the meet-and-greet. Astronaut simulations and rocket viewing aside, this was the highlight of my Space Camp experience.
Sharing excerpts from "Rocket Boys"
Amazingly, tomorrow was our graduation from Space Camp. For a week that didn't look like it was going to get off the ground (for real), once we were there it sure went by faster than a speeding rocket.
