U.S. Space & Rocket Center Education Foundation

The U.S. Space & Rocket Center and the camp in Huntsville 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 non-profit, separate entity and its board members are not appointed by the governor. It is responsible for scholarship, fund-raising, and the licensing of camps outside the United States. There are a number of internationally licensed Space Camps, including Space Camp Turkey, Space Camp Canada (French: Camp Spatial), and Space Camp Belgium.

Space Camp Florida

Space Camp Florida was established in 1988 and shared facilities with the Astronaut Hall of Fame in Titusville, Florida, 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, leading 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.^[5] The Astronaut Hall of Fame was sold to the Delaware North corporation and remained open until 2015 as an added attraction to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, with several simulators previously used by the camp available to all visitors.^[6] As of 2020^[update], the building was being used by Lockheed Martin to support work on the NASA Orion crew capsule.^[7]

Space Camp California

Space Camp California was operated by the now-defunct U.S. Space Camp Foundation at Mountain View, California from 1996 to 2002, when it closed due to financial difficulties.^[8]

Space Camp Hall of Fame

The Space Camp Hall of Fame was inaugurated in 2007 during the 25th-anniversary celebrations. As per the camp's website, the hall was established to honor graduates and former employees, praising their contributions and personal time spent at the place.^[9]

Inclusivity

In cooperation with teachers of visually impaired students, Space Camp operates a week-long Space Camp for Interested Visually Impaired Students by providing the same experience to visually impaired students as sighted students. Adaptations are made to the computer systems campers use in activities and simulations to provide speech and large print output. Adapted materials, including handbooks translated to braille and equipment, are used during the camp.

Space Camp also operates a week-long program for deaf and hard-of-hearing students by providing the same experience to hearing-impaired students as hearing students.^[14] Communication is supported by a dedicated team of American Sign Language interpreters as well as through visual and written media. To allow equal access to the audio of films, most museum & camp movies have open or closed captions including the theater, which provides a rear-window captioning system. To replace microphone or headset technology, students use live stream video between mission control and the shuttle simulator.

In addition to participating in typical camp activities and simulations, students often have the opportunity to meet and interact with deaf adults who work in science-related fields and learn about the contributions deaf individuals ^[15] such as Annie Jump Cannon (astronomer),^[16][17] Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (considered a "father of rocketry"),^[17][18] and Thomas Wheeler (NASA aerospace engineer)^[19][20] have made to astronomy, space exploration and science education. The program has been in operation for 38 years.^[21]

The Camp also offers scholarships for children who possess academic talent, leadership skills, or face disadvantages such as disabilities, financial needs, and other challenges.^[22]

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.^[23]

Aviation Challenge

The Aviation Challenge (AC) is a set of aviation-oriented programs at the camp, consisting of three main programs for children from ages 9–18. As aviation-oriented camps, the fundamental teaching aids are computer-based flight simulators, which are intended to train attendees to fly, act, and think like fighter pilots of the U.S. Air Force, Navy or Marine Corps.

Simulators

There are several simulators at Space Camp, such as:

• The Multi-Axis Trainer (MAT) simulates disorientation, similar to the Multiple Axis Space Test Inertia Facility (MASTIF) developed for Project Mercury
• The 1/6 Chair simulates walking on the Moon
• The 5DF Chair simulates the frictionless environment of outer space in five degrees of freedom
• The Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) simulates working untethered in a frictionless environment, such as during extravehicular activity (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-forces put on astronauts 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.^[24] The planetarium is part of the center's museum complex.^[25] In February 2019, the Intuitive Planetarium replaced the Spacedome IMAX theater, which had operated at the Center since 1982.^[24]

Accommodation

If a Space Camp program takes more than one day, campers stay at the space camp's Habitat 1 or Habitat 2. Habitat 1 is a large building designed to house young people. Male and female campers are usually assigned to separate floors. Space Camp resident assistant crew trainers are housed in rooms adjacent to student sleeping quarters.

Aviation Challenge trainees stay in Habitat 3 where they are required to maintain military standards to their bays and racks. There are two floors to Habitat 3. Male trainees occupy half of the ground floor and all of the second floor. Female trainees stay on the other half of the first floor. The bays are named after famous aircraft carriers. The camp has a cafeteria where campers receive meals.