| Part 3: In the Beginning: Space Camp Influence | |
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Space Camp Foundation is headquartered in Huntsville. There are three other space camps in the United States--one in Florida and one in California. The "recipe" for Space Camp, designed around the Space Shuttle, has been franchised and sold to Japan, Canada and Belgium. The Japanese were concerned because they were loosing students in the sciences to law and business careers. Space Camp is a way to get those bright students interested and challenged in the sciences again. Italy and Germany are also in the process of setting up Space Camps.
When Space Camp first started only about 10% of the attendees were girls. "But Sally Ride did a lot to change that. Soon after she became the first female in space, 30% of the campers were female," says Ed Buckbee. Today NASA and the Army are also seeing a lot of women entering those fields. It's almost 50% female now, with many managing projects.
The US Space & Rocket Center houses the largest space museum in the world. It is the top attraction to visitors to Huntsville and lends a unique and intriguing atmosphere to the historical antebellum homes and rich heritage of this old Southern town. What started out in a cotton field has brought great pride to the state of Alabama.
Related Sites
Marshall
Space Flight Center
Huntsville site for NASA where engineers and scientist work on designing and
manufacturing space craft.
NASA
Official site for the government's space program.
Redstone
Arsenal
Info about the military base in Huntsville, AL.
Rocket
City USA
Huntsville has a history of pioneering the US Space Program, housing the
largest Space Museum in the world, and hosting Space Camp.
Space
Camp
Adults and children can go to school and find out what it would be like to be an
astronaut.
Space
Shuttle Launch
Keep up to date on the schedule of the latest space shuttle launch at this site.
US
Space and Rocket Center
World's largest space museum is located in Huntsville.
