Personal Experiences

While I was at Space Camp this week, I had a few experiences of my own.  All just by happenstance.  And I was so glad that I had my camera with me to record them.  I thought that I would share them with you.

 Witnessing the Space and Rocket Center crew at work

One morning while looking for my kids, I was misdirected to the opposite side of the campus.  And though I didn't find them until about an hour later, I was able to watch as the USSRC crew moved one of the rockets out of the museum over to the Davidson Center.  They were rearranging to make room to be able to set up a new exhibit on Mammoths and Mastodons.  You might want to check it out once they have it set up.

 I followed this truck around to the Davidson Center from the back of the museum and watched as they backed it up to this big loading door.  I wondered where they would put it because the Davidson Center didn't appear to have much room.  If you didn't go over there, it is where the Saturn V rocket is located.  It is laying down and the sections extend the length of the building.  All around the walls are other rocket items on exhibit.  I really couldn't tell how they were going to carry this rocket in because the crane they had looked too tall to me.

They turned the crane around and lowered the chains to attach to the rocket.  I stood and watched this for a while as curious as the students would have been.  But it looked like this was going to take a while and because I was already way off schedule, I left before they finished this process. 

However, I was pleased to see where the rocket had finally been moved when I returned later with a group to learn about the Apollo missions.  As you can see, it has been neatly tucked under the engines of the Saturn V.  I still think that must have been a little tricky, but that's why it is their job and not mine.

 

Rabbit Siting at Dusk

One evening, about dusk, I was walking back to the hotel.  This route took me just behind the Habitat (the students' dorm) past a large grassy area that leads to a wooded area behind the campus and the hotel. 
I spotted a little rabbit out having his evening supper and managed to get a few shots.  See if you can spot him.

Rabbit center - just dashing behind limbs

Almost out of site in this photo - center, but far to the back.  I guess I had disturbed him enough in trying to photograph him and he was ready to be rid of me. 

Sunset 

Space Camp Sunset

And thank you to all of you who trusted me to accompany your children on this week long learning expedition.  I am honored.

Graduation Day

Here it is Friday morning and the culminating activity for the week: Graduation

The teams were introduced by team name and leader as they marched into the area under the Pathfinder Space Shuttle where the graduation ceremony was to take place.

Team Cosmos - Team Leader Anna

Team Explorer - Team Leaders Megan & James

Team Mariner - Team Leader Jacqueline

A gorgeous morning sitting under the Pathfinder for Graduation

Team Cosmos was introduced and received their certificates

Team Explorer was introduced and received their certificates

Team Mariner was introduced and received their certificates

 Congratulations to Team Cosmos for being voted the Outstanding Team this week at Space Camp.
 They each received a Space Camp patch.  Good job, team.

One more trip to the Astrotrek building

The building where the MAT and MMU were located was called the Astrotrek building.  It is the building where your children had all of their luggage after graduation.  I don't know how many of you took any time in there to look around.  But it was a "happening place" during the week.

A look at a team enjoying using the MMU (Manned Maneuvering Unit)

                                                                          Jonah

                                                                         Hunter

                                                          Baylor (sans elephant head)

                                                                          Sara

                                                                         Sara

                                                                 Sara Elizabeth

                                                                          Lexi

                                                                           Emalie 
 Side Note =  The day that we left to to Space Camp was Emalie's birthday.  I asked her if she thought that this had been a good birthday present and she answered with a big smile and an enthusiastic "Yes, Maam!" 
                                                              Happy Birthday, Emalie!!!

                                                           Cameron, do you have control?

                                       Mary Reid is checking out which control stick does what.

                                                        Jonas knows what he's doing.

                                                        Branson is working it out.

                                               A big smile from Davis with this experience.

                                                Linton appears to be moving away from me.

                                               Donnie - now what does this do?  OH, I see.

 While the others were waiting their turns, they made good use of their time by putting the finishing
 touches on their team patch design.  This was another group effort. 

 

                                        Could anyone resist these gorgeous smiles?  I doubt it.

Space Camp Olympics

I love how the camp is designed for kids and it allows them to learn as they go.  The teams took part in Space Camp Olympics. One activity was done in a relay style where each participant had to go down to the end of the track and retrieve one piece of equipment that an astronaut would need.  Once they had collected all of these pieces of equipment, then the next team member was to put on the equipment and gather 2 pieces of space debris that was "floating out in space." They would return with these pieces and give the next team member the equipment and they were to put it on and retrieve 2 more pieces of debris.  They continued in this manner until all debris had been collected.  The team collecting the most debris won.  This was a great demonstration of how important teamwork is to successfully accomplish a mission.

(I'm not going to narrate the next pictures, except to identify team members.  I am going to see if you can guess what was equipment and what was debris.)

L

                                                         (L) Justin                  (R) Jalien

                                                Jackson (Foreground)       Lauryn (Pink T-shirt)

                                                                             Joshua

                                                                          Haleigh

                                                                          Tripp

                                                           Malik with Abbi   -- Landry (R)

                                                               Anne (L)            Jovie (R)

  

                                                                         Abbi

                                                               ??? (L)              ???(R)

                                                       Mallory (R)                 Malik (L)

Davis, Tripp, & Donnie

Tyler

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the winning team was Explorer!!  
 

Kyle's team didn't win, but win or lose, Kyle smiled and enjoyed himself the entire week.  This smile made it worth it for me.                                                                   

Mission Training and Another Team with the MAT

I was allowed to follow a team into the mock Shuttle area during their training for their mission.  This was another first for me. Usually they don't include the chaperones in this.  I didn't stay long because I wanted the students to focus on their missions.

                                  Here's a peek into the cockpit of the Space Shuttle.

                          These astronauts are receiving a briefing about their duties on the mission. 

                                            Linton is checking out what his assignment entails.

It helps to know where the panels are that contain the switches that you will use during the mission.  They can be found to the left, the right, directly in front of you, or even overhead.  I didn't count the number of switches, but take my word for it, there are A LOT of them.  These astronauts in the shuttle depend on their knowledge of the switch panels as well as that of the communications teams at Houston who will help them in case of an anomaly.   (This word was used in their training and I even heard one of the students use it again when describing a part of their mission experience.  See what I mean when I say they are learning without even knowing it. ;-} )


The Mariners at the MAT:

                                              
                                                     Davis Ryan - Above and below

Malik is reviewing his teammates on Space Bowl Questions

                                          These campers are waiting their turns for the MAT.

                                                            Jalien really is having fun. 

                                                                 Kaliyah loved it.

           Nothing phased Kyle.  He took everything in stride.  He really could be the one of the
                     group who could take one of the vehicles to space and handle it very well.
                                 

                                                 This is Lauryn - if you didn't recognize her.

                             Malik talked to us the whole time.  Sometimes it was undecipherable,
                                                 but at least we knew that he was conscious.

                                           Jake holding on tight.