On July 6, students watched as NASA Astronaut Dr. Kate Rubins launched to the International Space Station. During her coming months on the ISS, she’ll be the first person to sequence DNA in space and will conduct other important biological experiments.
These students, though, had a special reason to cheer for Rubins as she lifted off in a Soyuz spacecraft. Just like them, Rubins went to Space Camp.
Rubins – one of five Space Camp graduates who have become astronauts – was 12 when she attended in Huntsville, AL. She is one of more than 750,000 alumni from around the world to have attended a program that encourages students to discover the real-life applications of science, technology, engineering, and math subjects.
At Space Camp, students learn about the past, present, and future of space exploration while experiencing simulated space missions and astronaut simulators. They do all this on the grounds of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, a world-class science center with exhibits that include the National Historic Landmark Saturn V Moon Rocket, the Pathfinder Shuttle Display, and a rocket park that illustrates the history of American space flight.
The students who attend Space Camp and its affiliated programs, Aviation Challenge and Space Camp Robotics, also learn leadership skills and how to work in a team. By working with students from around the world, Space Camp trainees discover tools they will need to succeed in any field they pursue.
