Two chaperones accompanied six students with vision impairments from the Department of Education & Training's Visiting Teacher Service in Victoria Australia to the United States of America in September 2002. The group flew into Los Angeles California, and then on to Huntsville Alabama for a week at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center - Space Camp for Interested Vision Impaired Students (SCI-VIS). En route, we also visited Disneyland and Universal Studios.
Getting There
September 15 - Departure Day. Last minute packing and a lift to the airport. We arrived three hours early and surprisingly needed every minute - with distribution of team T-shirts and caps, the obligatory photos, queuing, arranging refunds for cameras purchased duty-free - there was actually no time to spare before we were boarding! And you'd think that 14 hours on the plane would offer a little time for rest … and yet … several meals appeared and disappeared, several movies were projected, eight sets of forms required completion, and interested passengers needed to be networked with (possibly securing funding for next time!!!).
Crossing the International Date Line, we lost a day - and arrived in Los Angeles two hours before we departed!
Finding the correct shuttle out of LAX - one of the busiest airports in the world - is always an adventure, even with clear instructions provided by our travel agent:
“Look for the green overhead bus stop sign located on the centre island. Look for a bus with an 'Anaheim/Disneyland' destination sign in the front window and Airport Bus on the side.”En Route to Space Camp
"How many stars does our motel have?" enquired one student. With no fridge, no kettle and only donuts for breakfast, the only thing distinguishing it from a camping trip was fresh linen daily and a flushing loo! Still - we only had to sleep there as the next four days were completely FILLED with Disney adventures!
We screamed our way through Space Mountain, almost gave ourselves whiplash injuries in the Tea Cups, and a few lucky members of our group found themselves in the Disney Parade along with Mickey, Minnie and other stars of small and large screen!
We even lined up (many times) for the wildest ride in the park - California Screamin' - and tried to take photos whilst upside down, and got completely drenched (and I mean undies as well) on the Grizzly River Run.
Why Disneyland? Well apart from it being copious amounts of FUN, it offers many opportunities for team building, decision making, problem solving, and orientation and mobility.
Back to LAX for the next leg of our journey gave our students their first ever opportunity to offer a 'tip'. A sign in most shuttle busses reads, 'Your driver relies on your tip as part of his income'. Tipping is one example of the many cultural experiences on offer for students. Another is vocabulary - ordering food is a whole new experience when a scone is a biscuit, a biscuit is a cookie, and a bun with salad is a sandwich with vegetables!
Our group became very used to being separated from the other passengers boarding the plane, for yet another 'random' search. "Please remove your shoes" and "please unzip your bags" were frequent requests.
A cyclone was building off the east coast of the United States and so the last twenty minutes of our flight into Huntsville was quite bumpy - much to the delight of the students!
Space Camp!
We were met at the airport by our favourite Space Camp organiser, Dan Oates, who is always happy to see the Aussie contingent. Smiles and introductions were followed by our exit of the airport into the incredibly balmy and astonishingly humid Huntsville night. By the time we reached the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, warm rain had begun to fall.
Arrival at Space Camp is always a little unsettling. Students are allocated bedrooms with their Space Camp team members, and the Aussie chaperones take a step back.
The program began in earnest the following day.
Space Academy: KyleThe next six days were timetabled from 6.30am to 11.00pm with adventures both large and small!
Advanced Academy: Glen, Kat, Natasha and Tracey
Aviation Challenge: Tim
Typical
Day for Advanced Academy Students
| 6.30 | Wake up and prep for day |
| 7.30 | Breakfast |
| 8.30 | History of Space Flight |
| 9.30 | Rocket Construction or
Space Exploration & Space Medicine or Space Piloting & Guidance Navigation and Control (GNC) or Engineering APPS and Payload OPS |
| 11.00 | Climbing Wall |
| 11.30 | Lunch |
| 12.30 | Mission Training |
| 3.00 | Museum Hunt |
| 4.00 | Area 51 |
| 5.30 | Dinner |
| 6.30 | Space Station - IMAX movie |
| 7.30 | 5DF Simulator |
| 8.30 | Orbital Mechanics |
| 9.00 | SCUBA Introduction |
| 10.30 | Prep for bed |
| 11.00 | Lights out |
Students attended lectures about astronomy, astrophysics, hydroponics, rocketry, and life on the International Space Station (ISS). Practical sessions included rocket construction, computer simulators (eg landing a fighter plane on an aircraft carrier) and 'Area 51' - a series of team problem-solving activities. SCUBA diving allowed students to experience working in a weightless environment.
Students experienced simulators similar to those used in the training
of real astronauts:
- 1/6 gravity chair - movement with gravity similar to that on the
moon
- multi-axis trainer (MAT) - experience of spinning out of control
in space
- 5 degrees of freedom chair (5DF) - experience of performing extra
vehicular activities (EVA), for example repairs in the cargo bay of the
space shuttle
- manned manoeuvring unit (MMU) - experience of performing extra vehicular
activities (EVA)
The Missions
Students participated in three 2½-hour training missions and
three 1½-hour practise missions, spending time in each of the three
simulation areas - Orbiter, Space Station and Mission Control.
| Orbiter | Space Station | Mission Control | |
| Pilot Positions | Commander
Pilot |
Flight Operators | Flight Director
Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) |
| Mission Specialist Positions | Mission Specialists | Station Specialists | Extra Vehicular Activity Officer
Propulsion System Engineer |
|
Payload Specialist Positions |
Payload Specialists | Station Commander
Station Officer |
Spacelab Investigator
Station Investigator |
During the practise and training sessions, students had the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the layout of the simulation areas, and become familiar with roles and responsibilities for the different mission positions. Scripts and reference manuals are provided in each student's preferred reading medium (large print, braille, CCTV), and voice output or enlargement allowed access to the computers in Mission Control.
Routine procedures, such as the Orbiter launch sequence, are facilitated by each student, communicating with each other via headsets, reading their part of a script.
Once the students are familiar with the 'ordinary', they are ready for the final 6-hour mission. Now very confident with their roles, students are able to perform repairs to a disabled satellite, deal with numerous anomalies and medical emergencies, and even survive a serious meteor shower occurring in Space Station. This organised mayhem - carefully designed to promote teamwork and to reinforce information provided in the lectures - is orchestrated by the 'Space Ghosts', the Camp Counsellors.
For example: A simulated fire on the Space Station was indicated by an audible alarm. Students had to locate the word 'fire' (written on a piece of paper) and then extinguish it. Forgetting about the effects of zero gravity in the Space Station, one student did not brace herself before using the fire extinguisher. Space Ghost, then announced that the student had an injury to her shoulder, necessitating her to cry loudly, "the pain, the pain" until an appropriate treatment was identified and performed by another student.
Working so closely together and having to depend on each other, the students quickly form strong bonds and firm friendships. Email ensures that students can stay in touch despite living thousands of kilometres apart - this year participatns came from the USA, Canada, Mexico, Ireland and Australia.
Attending Space Camp can be a life-changing experience. It may be the first time that students, who all attend their local schools, spend an extended period of time with other students with vision impairments. It may also be the first time that they are able to fully participate in scientific learning on such an experiential level. Students have the opportunity to test their personal limits in a safe and supportive environment. Students rise to the many challenges in a way that may surprise even themselves. Students often return home with a new sense of what is possible and with new goals and direction. For two former Space Campers, working in the field of space science may become a reality - one is now studying Astrophysics and another Astronomy at university level.
Who can go to Space Camp?
Space Camp runs programs all year round - for students, businesses, families etc. Since 1990, one week each year - generally in September/October, and often coinciding with the Australian school holidays - is set aside for students with vision impairments. Specialists in the field of vision impairment assist the Space Camp staff to ensure that the program is fully accessible to students who are blind or have low vision.
The cost this year for Australian participants including flights, accommodation, meals and subsidised camp fees was AUS$4,600 for students and AUS$4,000 for chaperones. Participants can either self-fund, or seek financial support. For example this year one student and his Visiting Teacher held 'sausage sizzles' each Saturday for three months to raise the money. In previous years, students have organised mystery bus tours and trivia nights, held film nights or sold chocolates in their quest to attend Space Camp!
Ideally, students should have an interest in space science and the desire to learn more in this exciting field. Students should be keen to meet new people and be prepared for plenty of challenges. They should also be healthy and fit as the days are long and there is a great deal of walking involved. Space Camp is an amazing experience for participating students and staff!
Need more information or want to contribute in any way to Space Camp 2003, 2004...?
Contact Deb Lewis on (+613) 9841 0242 or deblewis@svrc.vic.edu.au
See Space Camp 1999 report: www.svrc.vic.edu.au/spacecamp.html
See Space Camp 2001 report: www.svrc.vic.edu.au/SpaceCamp2001.html
See Space Camp 2002 photos: www.tsbvi.edu/space/2002/index.htm
Report compiled by:
Deb Lewis (Co-ordinator, Statewide Vision Resource Centre) and Lea Nagel (Visiting Teacher - Vision Impairment Eastern, Metropolitan Region) - Space Camp 2002 chaperones.