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!
