First timer!

Going to camp soon? Have questions about camp? Post them here for those that have gone to answer.

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Eyesangela
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First timer!

Post by Eyesangela »

I am going to Adult Space Camp 4 day program in September. I'm really excited and can't wait. What is the schedule like? Is there anything I should know before going? If I were to read a book or two before I go, what should they be? Any info u would like to share would be great! Thank you.
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gt0163c
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Re: First timer!

Post by gt0163c »

Eyesangela wrote:I am going to Adult Space Camp 4 day program in September. I'm really excited and can't wait. What is the schedule like? Is there anything I should know before going? If I were to read a book or two before I go, what should they be? Any info u would like to share would be great! Thank you.
Woo-hoo! You'll have a great time.
I've never done a four day camp, but I'm assuming the schedule is similar to the six day camps. And if that's the case, the days will be long and packed. Breakfast probably around 7 or 7:30, last official activity finishing up around 10 or so with little to no downtime during the day. There's nothing you NEED to know before going, they'll teach you what you need. But if you want to read something before you go, any of the astronaut biographies/memoirs would be great. Chris Hadfield's "An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth" is a good one. Any of the Apollo era books will give you a better appreciation for the Saturn V and the exhibits in the Davidson Center. If you're a massive space geek, you might look for a copy of "Throttle Up!" on Ebay. That's the commercial version of the log book they used to give to all campers many years ago when the programs were a bit more academic. Re-watching "From the Earth to the Moon" is never bad prep for camp.

There are a couple of threads on this site and on the Facebook group (Adult Space Camp Adventure) that can answer questions specific to what to pack, particularly for adults (the packing list you get is very geared towards kids). Or just ask here.

Most of all, be prepared to have fun, meet cool people and do amazing things. Take some pictures (but don't let it interfere with you having fun and experiencing everything) and make sure you come back here after you're done and share your stories. We all live vicariously through everyone else's camp experiences.
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Re: First timer!

Post by p51 »

I've done the 4-day program in 2014. It was VERY filled, as we hit the ground running first thing in the morning and were going all day long. I was quite exhausted by the end of it, but had a smile on my face you couldn't blast off with dynamite.
My personal website has a breakdown of the 4-day 2014 Camp, as well as some ideas for what to bring and what will (and won't) happen while you're there at the bottom before the links: http://www.freewebs.com/willysmb44/spacecamp.htm
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Re: First timer!

Post by Robrunner »

I participated in the Adult Space Camp 3-day program earlier this year, and had a blast. There's nothing you really need to do to prepare. In fact, I would caution you not to focus too much on what you read on the forums. Going in, we were a little intimidated by seeing posts from frequent attendees, and worried we would be paired with people who took it very, very seriously. In the end, our group was just like us - people who just wanted to have fun and some laughs. No one took it too hard when any of our missions failed.

You should be prepared that its not a "vacation". You will have long and exhausting days. I'd recommend that you stay in the hotel next door, rather than staying in the hab. Accommodations in the habs are very sparse. We opted for the hotel, and after one night in the hab, over half our group moved to the hotel as well.

Just relax, appreciate the absurdity of the experience, have some laughs, and you'll have a great time.
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Re: First timer!

Post by p51 »

I have seen a few people get a little too wrapped around the axle at Camp, but they're few and far between (and usually people avoid them once they're ID'd). Don't be intimdated by anyone. The people who've gone before have some good insights, just don't pay attention to the perception of their personalities within those posts. Personally, when I had the controls in the orbiter as a Pilot or Commander, I took those roles very seriously. And those missions turned out pretty well partially for that reason. My last go-around in a STS sim there, I had another forum regular as the CDR and I was the PLT. Between the two of us, we were tightly focused and both did very well with our tasks. But we still had plenty of fun and would have done just fine with someone not taking it quite as seriously. Heck, one of the MSs behind us had a Space Barbie attached to her all the way through the 4-day session and we loved her for it!
Robrunner wrote:You should be prepared that its not a "vacation". You will have long and exhausting days. I'd recommend that you stay in the hotel next door, rather than staying in the hab. Accommodations in the habs are very sparse. We opted for the hotel, and after one night in the hab, over half our group moved to the hotel as well.
I agree fully with all this.
I've always stayed in the HAB each time I've gone, but as it looks like I'll be going this fall, I think I'll be doing the hotel thing. The HAB is something everyone should experience at least one time (if even just for a night) but even as a former Army officer who's slept in plenty of barracks (and much worse places than that), the HAB gets old really quick.
The Marriott is very close by but there are other hotels just beyond view of the HAB buildings, up by the highway exit. Too far to walk, but if you have a rental car you can get there in a couple of minutes.
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Re: First timer!

Post by Feuerfresser »

By the way: How do they decide which position in the team you have?
The ATX (Florida KSC), where you only have one Shuttle Mision, they evaluate everybodys approach and landing attemps in simulator and they cast the crew in this way.
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Re: First timer!

Post by p51 »

Feuerfresser wrote:By the way: How do they decide which position in the team you have?
Randomly, I'm sorry to say.
Only once was I ever on a team where the trainer asked people put down what they'd like. I got my choices as nobody else wanted to do CAPCOM or CDR. And I got to fly the orbiter for the 2-hour LDM mission. But otherwise, it's all the luck of the draw.
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