The HabForum

The discussion "You Own Space Camp" reminded me about a series of books that were put out in the mid-90s (I think). They were called Young Astronauts: Mission to Mars, put out by the Young Astronauts Society. They were about a group of high school kids chosen to be the first to travel to Mars and start a human colony there. The books went through their training to the actual first few months on Mars. Their training was alot like ASA, but it was for real. I loved those books but I loaned them to a friend who then pawned them at a used book store. I don't believe the series was ever completed, but if you ever find one, don't let it go! I think I remember about 5 or 6 at the time.

I read one in jr. high but i could never find the rest of the series to read.

http://half.ebay.com/search/search.jsp? ... Astronauts

...if you wanna buy some of them back!

Wow i had completely forgotten about those. I lnow i read the first one but i never found anymore either. I wonder what ever happened to the copy i had it's probably long gone if i havent seen it in all these years.

one of my favorite books as a kid was Space Camp:The Great Adventure for NASA Hopefuls by Anne Baird. I used to look at the pictures for hours on end!!

That book is a good one also and has some great pictures although some of the pictures in the book are wrong for the age group being followed. I remember seeing some picytures in the book from Academy and ASA simulators but the book followed a group of camp kids.

yes i too noticed that but its still a cool book. it kept my dream of going to space camp alive for many years!

I checked the book out from the library several times inbetween cam over the years. I wish someone would do one on Aviation challenge.

I too checked it out from the library (I never owned a copy). I think I was the only one who ever checked it out. I went to the library last week to look for it. I was going to check it out for old times' sake, but they dont have it any more. oh well!

I didnt even think of that. i'll have to check at the library here and see if they have it.

it is out of print according to amazon. if i could buy it from the library it could be a collector item one day!

Oops i thought you meant check out the young astronaut books from the library. I know they have the space camp one their befause i've checked it out many times over the years.

I found one at school but haven't seen one since. I'll have to look on the net.

I'm sure you can probably find it somewhere on the net.

dragging this one back up too...

anyone else remember the young astronaut books? i found the 6 that they published in my storage last week. definitely going to read them again! i remember loving them! and being SO crushed when they stopped writing more!

Oh yes, the young astronaut books. My sister had the first two and I read them maybe about a year ago and I bought the rest of the series on ebay to finish reading. There were only 6 books as far as I know. LOL, there I was, 25 years old, buying kid books for myself.

I wish that there really was such a program. It kind of reminded me of the week that I was at ASA for international camp week. Many different cultures and words that some of the others didn't understand, just like in the books. Brought back old memories.

Can someone explain these books in more detail?

I think that Space Camp book referred to earlier is the one with one or two pictures of Spanky as a youngster attending Camp in it.

He's so cute.

here's a blurb about the Young Astronauts.. (well the first book at least)

In this first book of a projected series, the United Nations has selected the world's brightest students to launch an ambitious space program--the colonization of Mars. Teams of teenagers have been invited to Houston for training and evaluation, but only the highest-scoring groups will be chosen for the mission. Fair-minded Nathan, an American, soon discovers the keen competition, as do his team members: the handsome Russian, Sergei; Noemi, a fashion-conscious math whiz from Venezuela; Lanie, a troubled American computer whiz; Genshiro, a brilliant Japanese; the level-headed Alice, a New Zealander; and Karl, a German who is grieving over his mother's untimely death. The novel's premise will lure SF fans, although they may find certain aspects implausible (Lanie's duping the authorities, the pampered Noemi's candidacy for the program, Genshiro's Americanized English). North's generally well-written narrative is somewhat pedantic in places, but he keeps the story on course by planting bits of intrigue and ably illustrating group dynamics at work. Ages 10-up.


There were 6 books in the series and then they just stopped publishing them.

i remember back in the 80's when the Young Astronauts was a club you could actually join. i still have the patches, posters, and other stuff from that club somewhere.