The HabForum

I remember the three tracks as well, back in my youth years. I remember being in the Payload Specialist track my first year and Mission Specialist for the second. Happy times!

Found this note at Sprocketeers about the last ASSEC quarterly meeting:

Center staff reviewing pricing of some group camps to help to make up for a downtrend in short programs. Interesting note – payroll makes up 61.42% of operating revenue.

Downtrend in short programs? Downtrend is probably declining attendance yet what's considered a short program?

Not surprised that payroll is the USSRC's biggest expense but am surprised that the percentage is not signficantly higher....

majtom7 wrote:Downtrend in short programs? Downtrend is probably declining attendance yet what's considered a short program?

Maybe this explains why they're testing a 4-day adult program? I've done two 3-day adult programs already, and every time, someone's mentioned that 3 days just isn't long enough to justify the trip if you came from far away. Also, someone has wished that the program we were in at the time could have been longer (especially in the case of the first team I was on, I think if they offered us a way to extned for a full week by the end of the 2nd day, many of us probably would have paid extra and changed our schedules as we were all having such a great time as a group).
Like many, I hope this is a sign that longer adult programs will be back eventually.

It would be nice if they were able to bring back a few "week-long" sessions for adults. But in the end if 4-days is all they offer, I shall gladly take it.

Still, it would be nice if we knew what the differences between the three day and four day programs was (I know this has been said before...I'm just agreeing with everyone in case someone is counting the number of forum folks interested). The more Space Camp I can get, the better.

I'm definitely looking forward to October 2014.

- Justin

spacemanpic wrote:It would be nice if they were able to bring back a few "week-long" sessions for adults. But in the end if 4-days is all they offer, I shall gladly take it.

Still, it would be nice if we knew what the differences between the three day and four day programs was (I know this has been said before...I'm just agreeing with everyone in case someone is counting the number of forum folks interested). The more Space Camp I can get, the better.

I'm definitely looking forward to October 2014.

- Justin

So Justin you are doing the 4 day camp in October? If so look forward to meeting you.

I, too, would like to see the longer camps come back. I was in two, one eight-day and one six-day and we chose our tracks. In one I was in the Engineering Track, because Mission Specialist is my favorite position. The second time I decided to try the Aviation Track and even though the team was not very cohesive, I still had a great time. I got to rescue two mission specialists whose suits were leaking and while I was out on the EVA, the Payload Specialist accidentally de-pressurized the Orbiter, so the three of us were the only crew left alive.

Most of the time, I find, that the counselors try to give the campers the positions that they desire, if possible. And if you have a great position on orbiter, then in your MOCR mission you get a lesser position or vice versa. For our eight-day camp, though, since we were all adults, they let us decide among ourselves for the EDM. Each of the tracks got together and came up with a decision. Because it was a twelve-hour mission, they gave us the option of having the station crew and the MOCR crew switch at the halfway point. We all came to agreement without difficulty because that was the most cohesive team that I have been on. The MOCR crew decided that they wanted to stay in MOCR for the full 12 hours. They were pretty hard-nosed. Especially our CAPCOM who talked the orbiter crew through several close calls based on his careful study of all of the Orbiter switches in the earlier training.

In Parent/Child they sometimes had everyone who wanted a particular position throw their badges into a hat and then drew them out for the spot. The kids thought that was fair enough. The parents are always paired with their child, so that they are side by side during the mission.

One of my nephews decided that he wanted to be Payload Specialist, which was my least favorite postion. No one fought him for it so we got it and we ended up winning the highest award, something I have only done that time and once in Aviation Challenge. And we had a lot of fun doing 3 experiments in the SpaceLab.

All of the positions have a lot of interest and after I had been Mission Specialist several times, it was fun to try a different spot.

Don't know what I will get in August, but I am sure looking forward to it and I know I will enjoy whichever positions I am given.

Just a warning to my fellow August 8-11 attendees: I have made a playlist of all my space-related music and am getting a battery powered speaker dock so that I can score our missions!! (Yes, I have the Right Stuff Soundtrack!!)

Looks like you guys will be getting new aquanaut wings....

Hotdog wrote:

What the heck are those in the row fourth from the left?
I like the new SC wings, much better than the uber-cheesy old design!

p51 wrote: What the heck are those in the row fourth from the left?

Robotics "wings."

See this post for a close-up.

Steve,
Yes! I will be there for the 4-days in October.

I look forward to meeting you then. It's always fun to meet people from HAB1 in person. We met Lin in person at camp after talking on here first.

October can't come soon enough.

- Justin

I was wondering what the lab coats were for when I saw them hanging in the offices back in January. We were so busy that I didn't have a chance to ask what they were for. Now I know!

Want to get a jump on my forms for the October 4 day... SCUBA form is not required so that must not be on the schedule.

majtom7 wrote:Want to get a jump on my forms for the October 4 day... SCUBA form is not required so that must not be on the schedule.

Just guessing, I say the 4 day camp is a expanded version on 3-day camp. Any one who has the inside scoop chime in on this please. Longer missions & more sims time I am hoping for!!!

I just called Space Camp today and they confirmed that the Hall of Fame Dinner is built into the schedule for the 4-day Adult Camp, August 8. So I went online and got my ticket. I didn't see a way to let them know that I would like to be seated with other Hab 1 people, although they did let me put in my dietary preferences. See you there, whoever is also going.

Conan wrote:I just called Space Camp today and they confirmed that the Hall of Fame Dinner is built into the schedule for the 4-day Adult Camp, August 8.

I wish they'd made this August session an option originally, I know of a few people who signed on for the October 4-day camp as it was the only one in 2014 for a while. I think some folks missed out on the Hall of Fame by signing up for October. SC didn't do themselves any favors there as I'd think many die hard SC types would go for the 4-day option and therefore would be more likely to do the Hall of Fame thing, too.

p51 wrote:I wish they'd made this August session an option originally, I know of a few people who signed on for the October 4-day camp as it was the only one in 2014 for a while. I think some folks missed out on the Hall of Fame by signing up for October. SC didn't do themselves any favors there as I'd think many die hard SC types would go for the 4-day option and therefore would be more likely to do the Hall of Fame thing, too.

The August camp has open spots and you can transfer for free. Might be a problem if you've already made your travel arrangements and/or need to get days off work yet if you want your cake (4 day camp) and eat it, too (Hall of Fame), it's not too late.

Hotdog wrote:

I was wondering what the lab coats were for when I saw them hanging in the offices back in January. We were so busy that I didn't have a chance to ask what they were for. Now I know!

The lab coats you saw in the DC offices are not the ones the Robo Crew Trainers wear. The ones in the offices are for the docents, all former NASA engineers who now volunteer to talk to visitors and share their expertise.

Hotdog wrote:
Looks like you guys will be getting new aquanaut wings....

These are Crew Trainer wings. The trainee wings remain the same.

majtom7 wrote:The August camp has open spots and you can transfer for free. Might be a problem if you've already made your travel arrangements and/or need to get days off work yet if you want your cake (4 day camp) and eat it, too (Hall of Fame), it's not too late.

Just 4 slots left as of a couple of minutes ago....

So here we are, a little over 6 weeks until the August 3 day camp spread over 4 days, and still no listing of major activities. As an educated consumer, I am having a hard time with USSRC's customer unfriendly attitude. For example, if I sign up for a cruise, I know the stops and special events before I pay. The daily order of those is not available but I know what I am going to get. If I buy a packaged vacation, I know what I am getting for my money before I pay. Yet we're supposed to register, pay ahead of time, and find out what we're doing when we start? That was fine for me the first 4 times yet as an older and wiser repeat customer with more options for spending my hard earned pay, I want to know what I am getting for my money. I'm a bit beyond "I'm proud, happy, and thrilled." It's a reasonable request, especially since there are no refunds (cancellation policy included below).

I suppose I'll try calling again tomorrow as emails just get ignored which, IMHO, is a sign of a serious customer service problem. People are asking you about your product and you never even acknowledge the request?


In the event you must cancel your reservation, you will receive a refund as defined below:
Cancellation notice must be submitted in writing
Registration fee is non-refundable
Refund will be issued in the same manner payment was made
90% of tuition paid will be refunded if written notice is received no later than eight weeks prior to session start date (Individual bookings only)
Cancellations received within eight or less weeks of session start date forfeit full tuition
Cancellation requests due to illness or accident prior to the camp session start date require a physician's written verification. Upon receipt of verification, we will issue a full refund
Cancellations due to personal reasons, etc. will not receive a refund
Trainees who leave during a session WILL NOT receive a refund