The HabForum

Well i just did one of my semi daily looks aty the space.com website in there news section. Much to my suprise i found out that the Astronaut hall of fame has been reopened. I knew the property had been bought but was unaware it was open again. And although Space Camp Florida hasnt been reopened acording to the article its being used by "Camp KSC" it doesnt tell much about what it is other than its a 5 day seasonal education program but i wonder if its anything like space camp. Well you'll find the article below.Astronaut Hall of Fame Open, Attendance Thrives
By Corey Schubert
FLORIDA TODAY
posted: 09:00 am ET
19 January 2003




TITUSVILLE, Fla. -- Fred Hague fiddled with the controls of a mock space shuttle control panel and grinned.

The Pittsburgh resident had driven by the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame during previous vacations to Florida but hadn't stopped until this week.

"There's a lot to see here," said Hague, who brought his family to the museum shortly after visiting Kennedy Space Center's Visitor Complex.

Hague is among thousands of people who museum officials said have kept attendance thriving at the attraction since it reopened Dec. 14 under the ew management of Delaware North Parks Services.

"Business has been very nice. We've been very pleased," said Hall of Fame general manager Jeannette Petrolia.

Delaware North signed a three- to five-year lease on the property, which also includes the now-defunct U.S. Space Camp Florida, in late September.

Both attractions, located on State Road 405, had been forced to close when SouthTrust Bank in Birmingham, Ala., auctioned them to settle a multi-million dollar foreclosure lawsuit against U.S. Space Camp Foundation.

Almost 1,000 people a day visited the museum during the five days after Christmas and more than 2,000 people attended Thursday after viewing the launch of space shuttle Columbia, said Susan Burrell, spokeswoman for Delaware North.

"People often visit the Visitor Complex, find out we're open and buy tickets to the museum there," Petrolia said, while she watched a dozen people browse among calendars of space shuttles and books written by astronauts in the museum's gift shop.

Beginning March 31, the facility that formerly housed U.S. Space Camp Florida will serve as the home base for the "Camp KSC" five-day educational programs currently offered seasonally to youths at the KSC Visitor's Complex, Petrolia said.

Delaware North rehired 23 of the 50 employees who had worked at the Hall of Fame under its previous owners, Petrolia said.

I thought I'd seen people out there when I drove by on way back from the launch. Now I know why.

It's just a shame that Space Camp didn't return with it...then again, "Camp KSC" sounds, for the most part, like Space Camp but without the license!

Welkl since the space camp foundation that ran the camp went under im guessing all the equipment used at the camp was sold with the hall of fame. And the people who run the alabama camp have enough to do with it already so i doubt space camp florida will be back under that name. Wish i knew where to find some information on the camp KSC id like to know more about it. Atleast someone is using the equipment though.

Apparently, it used to be called Space Scholars Camp and it's been around since '98, but only in Summer and Spring break. Check out these links:

http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/html/ ... .html#CKSC
http://www.floridatoday.com/news/space/ ... 32901e.htm

Well those didnt give alot of info on the camp but it kind of sounds like a cheaper day time only version of space camp. below is a link to another article on the hall of fame's reopening. it has a little more info. It also mentions that the Florida hab was not bought along with the hall of fame so i wonder what will happen with it.

http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/html/ ... .asp?ID=70

it could be turned into a really cool hotel for visitors!! That would be neat!

Here's an idea but a major long shot. Turn it into a space camp museum.

When I was at KSC we got the maxium pass which included the Astro. Hall of fame. When we went I was surly disapointed. If you have been to KSC and USSRC it is not that great. The sims are the same as Space Camp and the SPROCKET Center. They do have tings that can't at the other places such Deke Slayton's Chair for his Mercury Capsule that was never flown. Ont of things there, I loved that they had a 1st edition of Juels Verne's From the Earth to the Moon. They do have few more personal aeffects of the Astronauts such as Jim Lovell's Boy Scout Merit Badge Shash. The Hall of Fame Hall is not that great because their were astrouant that could should be up but weren't. Don't think that they had Guy Bluford which as we know is the first Africanh American in Space. The one thing they do is they talk about the Apollo 1 disater.

the last time I was at the ahof was when i was at space camp in florida..but i was at KSC for the induction ceremony this may and it's still up and running...the astronauts that are in it are very kind and new astronauts are put in it every year..it's quite a nice place! i think that although the ahof might not be as great as the ksc visitor's center or the ussrc it's still a great place to go if you want to honor those astronauts who inspire so many people.....i'd go anyday!