Huntsville, Alabama is the site of one of the most fervent of kids? dreams: Space Camp. NASA sponsors a space camp in Alabama to help kids experience what it is like to be an astronaut. Most programs last one week, and they are also offered in conjunction with other community programs, such as 4-H. Attendance at Space Camp can comprise some of the most meaningful and interesting experiences of a child's life.

As expected, there is an age limit at the Space Camp in Alabama with the full camp program being offered only to kids of twelve and above. Many of the activities organized at the camp are likely to be problematic for younger kids and also, the kid needs to be old enough to stay for the week away from home. However, some special programs are offered at the center even for younger kids.

The programs and activities at Space Camp are designed to awaken creativity and curiosity. The kids learn to design a lunar colony, and attend classes and seminars to know about the history of the space program. They learn about the Soviet space program as well as the United States program in these classes. They are also taken on trips to the museum to gain an education experience.

But Space Camp is not only about sitting in classes and designing lunar colonies. They explore life size mock-ups of space shuttles. They get first hand experience of being in quarters with bunks that look exactly like they would on a space station or colony, not somewhere in Alabama. Of course, "astronaut training" is the best part of Space Camp.

Space Camp attendees go through a sort of training. They get to wear space suits to find out what they feel like. They go in simulators to learn how to ?fly? spacecraft (like the shuttle). They ride in a centrifuge to feel the pressure of gravity. And there are zero gravity simulations that can help them understand the feeling of weightlessness. And for added fun, there is a contraption designed to help attendees understand what walking on the moon feels like.

Once the training is complete all the Space Camp participants are given the opportunity to run a simulated mission. Everyone on board the ship is assigned a specific role such as that of a pilot, or a payload specialist to play in completing the mission successfully. Special attention is paid to sequencing and time because these elements are important in real space missions. If you make a mistake, your simulator shakes you around and you know what it is like to crash and burn.

If there is enough time, a group may have the opportunity to run the mission more than once, allowing people a chance to experience different roles. It is a fun experience for the Space Campers, as they get to do more, learn more about the space program.

Space Camp is an effective and fun way to spark an interest in space and in science. Kids go through a practical program in a learning atmosphere that transports them far away from its location in Huntsville, Alabama.