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Month: February 2020

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Simulations at Space Camp | Space Camp Alumni

Written by Diana Hughes on . Posted in Alumni, Mission Updates. No Comments on Simulations at Space Camp | Space Camp Alumni

This week it’s all about the simulators we tried out at Space Camp! Space Camp Alumni are sharing their favorite simulator on social media, and sharing pictures of their experience as well! Make sure you join our private Facebook group, to meet other Space Camp Alumni in your area and stay up to date on Space Camp Alumni Events!

Some of our favorite simulators are now housed in the Astrotrek building, an open ceiling building adjacent to Shuttle Park. In here you will find the Multi-Axis Trainer, the 1/6th Gravity Chair, and the 5DF Chair.

The Multi-Axis Trainer, or MAT as it is commonly referred to, simulates what it is like when an astronaut is in a tumble spin. It keeps your center of gravity in one place, while the rest of your body spins on multiple axises. While it looks like it could make for quite the stirred stomach, because your center of gravity remains in the same place, most trainees find that the MAT doesn’t have too many negative effects for them. In fact, it seems to be a crowd favorite when the Space Camp Alumni were polled on Facebook about their favorite simulator!

The 1/6th Gravity Chair or moon chair, simulates what it is like to be on the moon’s surface and only having 1/6th of the amount of gravity that is found on Earth. You can feel what it is like to hop, or skip, across the moon like surface.

Another simulator is the 5DF Chair, which simluates weightlessness and the five degrees of freedom you might find on an extravehicular excursion in space. Trainees may be asked to complete objectives while in the 5DF chair to discovery what it is like to not have a point of gravity holding you down while working on a project.

Simulations like these are an integral part of the Space Camp experience. What was your favorite simulation? Watch our YouTube video on simulators found at Space Camp to see more:

Join our private Facebook group for Space Camp Alumni, and make sure you’re signed up here on the website to receive email notifications, so that you know all of the latest events for Space Camp Alumni in your area!

Women in Science Alumna Women in Science Alumna Women in Science Alumna

Female Scientists Across the World Celebrate Women in Science Day

Written by Diana Hughes on . Posted in Alumni, Mission Updates. No Comments on Female Scientists Across the World Celebrate Women in Science Day

Tueday February 11th, 2020 was officially Women in Science Day, a day to commemorate the advancements of females in science, technology, engineering, math. The day not only acknowledges those that have paved the way for the current generation, but also salutes those that are currently making strides in scientific fields and serves as inspiration for the next generation of female scientists.

There were a number of Space Camp Alumna that celebrated Women in Science Day, in a variety of ways. Some took to Twitter to share inspiration – or even set straight some urban myths!

Beth Moses is the first female commerical astronaut and flies for Virgin Galatic. She made this post on Women in Science day encouraging women to “Go for it!”. Beth Moses is no stranger to paving the way for future scientists and astronauts, and helps to mentor others as the Chief Astronaut Instructor at Virgin Galatic. She was inducted into the Space Camp Hall of Fame in 2019.

Astronaut Christina Koch is a NASA Astronaut that recently returned to Earth after almost a year aboard the International Space Station. She is a five-time alumna of Space Camp and received the distinguished award into the Space Camp Hall of Fame in 2019. She shared this photo on Twitter, expressing her joy in seeing the ocean… from a slightly different vantage point than she had seen it most recently.

NASA Scientist Sarah Noble even got in on the action on Women in Science Day, but helping to dispell an internet rumor that had started circulating the previous day. Sarah Noble and Astronaut Alvin Drew dispelled the “Broomstick Challenge” social media myth that had started circulated the evening before, stating that broomsticks would stand on end that day because of gravitational pull. (Spoiler alert, this can happen any day of the year because they have a low center of gravity.) Sarah helped to share the official word on this challege with Astronaut Drew that “It’s Physics.”. Ms. Noble is a Space Camp Hall of Fame awardee and was inducted into the Space Camp Hall of Fame in 2018.

All of these women and so many more have helped to shape the current landscape of women in science today. We encourage all Space Camp Alumni to follow their dreams and continue making advancements in science.

Expedition 61 Soyuz Landing Expedition 61 Soyuz Landing Expedition 61 Soyuz Landing

Welcome Home, Astronaut Christina Koch!

Written by Diana Hughes on . Posted in Alumni, Mission Updates. No Comments on Welcome Home, Astronaut Christina Koch!

Astronaut Christina Koch has returned home to Earth after 328 days aboard the International Space Station. During her time on the Space Station, she set records as part of the first all women spacewalk team with Astronaut Jessica Meir, and also setting a record for single longest spaceflight by a woman in December 2019.

Image Credit: NASA

Image Credit: NASA

During her journey aboard the International Space Station, Koch completed 5,248 orbits of Earth, traveling over 139 million miles. She frequently shared pictures of her trip on her social media, showing images from above of cities at night, historical landmarks, and significant weather events. (Follow on Twitter: @Astro_Christina) Now home at Johnson Space Center in Houston, she will provide her team with valuable data about long duration spaceflight and be an integral part of the foundation to plan for the Artemis flights. Koch is a five-time alumna of Space Camp and 2018 recipient of the Space Camp Hall of Fame award.