Movie: Level 2 or ??

Richasi · Post by **Richasi** » Mon Sep 02, 2002 2:24 pm

Okay, I rethought the whole Space Camp the Movie is depicting Space Academy Level 2. Why? Because Space Academy, Level 2 wasn't even around at the time of filming. It came AFTER the movie.

To clarify: Space Camp didn't begin until Summer of 1982. Space Academy began in June 1984. The movie was filmed in September 1985 (consequently, the same month that Adult Space Academy started).

Now, Space Academy Level II didn't even start until July 1987. So... with that in mind, I would conjecture that the "Level 2" on Kathryn's manual might actually mean "Space Camp Level 2", which would corespond to "Space Academy". But, since people might know the name Space Camp, over Space Academy, that's what they went with for the movie (guess here).

Now, the book does break it down into two weeks, which again is not what Academy was about.

Maybe the movie gave away to the 10-day version of Level II?

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Mon Sep 02, 2002 6:18 pm

Well that makes se4nse since the movie shows space academy sims not level 2 sims. However they must have had some academy level 2 facilities in place because the cargo bay of enterprise then known as challenger was used for filing the exterior space scenes in the movie.

Richasi · Post by **Richasi** » Mon Sep 02, 2002 6:32 pm

Just because a sim is now used for Academy II doesn't mean that's what its original purpose was. It makes no sense to have a sim in place 2 years prior to a programs inception. It obviously was used for other Camp/Academy activities prior to Level II's inception.

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Mon Sep 02, 2002 7:12 pm

Well that leads to another question then. What was Enterprise originally used foir?

Richasi · Post by **Richasi** » Mon Sep 02, 2002 10:56 pm

This is pure conjecture at this point since I don't have a 1986 or 1985 application guide, but what if Academy I was harder than it was in say 1991. And in 1987 they split some part of Academy I and made Academy II. Enterprise could have been used for some mission aspect of Academy I that was then placed in Academy II. Academy I began in 1984, it is possible it was a lot harder then.

Another theory, and one that I find a little more likely now that I think about it, the adult programs started the same month the movie was being filmed. Perhaps Enterprise was for the adult program? Then later became part of Academy II?

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Mon Sep 02, 2002 11:23 pm

Well actually i guess either of those would work. I'm guessing if either is true its probably the second one. I've also always wondered why Atlantis being an academy level 1 sim is so much more complete than Enterprise is inside. The first theory could work thoiugh. Seems Academy 2 was definately more involved in its earlier days. Reading the 88 brochure you have on your sight it says that the PS's for academy 2 use to design the expirements for the EDM and they would even be considered for flight on real shuttle missions. I wish they still had academy level 2 looking at the old brochures it seems so much better than ASA. One thing i wouldnt have liked though is that the pilots back then didnt get to do scuba.

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Tue Oct 01, 2002 5:11 pm

Well i now have more evidence to support the Level 2 being academy theory. I got a copy of an old space camp promotional video today. It was made in the 80s probably prior to the movie. It shows 2 cockpits, Discovery and Columbia. One of the mannuals is clearly shown with one of the older students and it Says Space Camp level 2. Their is no referance to Space Academy just an advanced space camp. And they have a scene showing Buckbee showing some campers around what appears to be Atlantis or Enterprise which must have been new at the time but not in use since they only refer to 2 cockpits being used. Aand the one Buckbee is sowing them arouns is too advanced for Columbia and has a middeck which discovery doesnt.

Post by **Vincent** » Tue Oct 01, 2002 5:48 pm

Whoa! Where'd you get it?!

Is this one of the ones from the museum (was it?) that you mentioned previously?

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Tue Oct 01, 2002 7:03 pm

Yep its the one from the museum the quality sucks because its obviously an old video. The sound is lousty and the piture can be jumpy at times but its verry informative about space camps early years. I also posted more info on the video in the hab section.

Richasi · Post by **Richasi** » Sat Oct 05, 2002 9:37 am

Cool beans. I wish I could see this video. *hint*

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Sat Oct 05, 2002 5:31 pm

As i said in another post send me a blank tape, and the money to ship it back to you and ill make you a copy.

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Wed Jun 28, 2006 7:47 pm

Ok i know i'm dredgimg up old topics today but i'm bored and have space camp on the mind. I was watching the movie today and decided to look through this section of the forum and found this old post. And just more evidence that proves the kids in the movie were in Space Camp Level 2 not spasce academy level 2is in the book Your future in space the us space camp training program. It refers to 3 programs Space Camp Level 1 which if i remember right covered late elementary and early middle and camp level 2 that covered late middle and early high school they also say there is a familiarization program for adults and an adcanced program in the works. The book was published im 1986 a year after the movie was filmed. Obviously when the advanced program was added the names changed and the grade levels shifted some but if you read in some older brochures academy level 2 actually extended to freshman in college at one time too. But amyway it just shows that when the movie was filmed there was no space academy level 2 but a space camp level 2 that did cover some high school students and it used what became academy level 1 simulators like they did in the movie.

Spanky · Post by **Spanky** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 2:27 pm

OK...here we go....

The movie was designed to show what at that time was Space Camp Level 2 (now Space Academy). Because of the demand to more and more requests, what is now Advanced Space Academy came online in August 1987 as Space Academy Level 2.

The cockpit that Ed Buckbee is seen in is the current Atlantis simulator. It was designed and used for the movie and given to the SC programs after filming was completed. It sat on the museum floor for over a year and was still in movie configuration when I used it as a camper in 1987. The Enterprise was also from the movie and was always planned for SA level 2.

rkolker · Post by **rkolker** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 1:02 pm

Spanky wrote:OK...here we go....

The movie was designed to show what at that time was Space Camp Level 2 (now Space Academy). Because of the demand to more and more requests, what is now Advanced Space Academy came online in August 1987 as Space Academy Level 2.

The cockpit that Ed Buckbee is seen in is the current Atlantis simulator. It was designed and used for the movie and given to the SC programs after filming was completed. It sat on the museum floor for over a year and was still in movie configuration when I used it as a camper in 1987. The Enterprise was also from the movie and was always planned for SA level 2.

That's all accurate. I was there when they wrapped shooting with the first regular adult session. When we first used Atlantis as a simulator, it had mocked up movie set panels, so none of the switches moved (and the broke off if you tried to move them) and the aft DSKY keyboard was thin plastic (which I put my hand through accidently during our sim in 1986).

The dorm set was built in what was the "The Lunch Pad", now part of the cafeteria. The current training floor didn't exist yet, and Pathfinder didn't arrive until 1987 (when it sat in the parking lot).