Latest news with #U.S.Space&RocketCenter
Forbes
12-06-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Two Astronauts On Why You Should Visit Space Camp In Huntsville
These 2 became real astronauts after attending Space Camp as kids. If you're seeking a travel experience that sparks your imagination and immerses you in the past, present, and future of space exploration, consider visiting Huntsville, Alabama. Known as Rocket City, this vibrant Southern hub is home to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center—and, more importantly, to the legendary Space Camp. This is not a museum where you walk through exhibits and read plaques (though it does have one of the most impressive collections of space artifacts in the country). Space Camp is an experience—a hands-on, high-energy, simulator-filled adventure where guests of all ages can step into the boots of astronauts, engineers, and mission commanders. For kids, it's a chance to dream big. For adults, it's an opportunity to reconnect with childhood wonder, push limits, and learn something new. And for some, like Dr. Gretchen Green and Aymette Medina Jorge, it's a starting point for an actual journey to space. Both women flew aboard Blue Origin's recent NS-32 mission. Both trace their achievements back to Space Camp. Gretchen Green was just 12 years old when she first arrived in Huntsville in 1986. She would return three more times, eventually becoming a camp counselor. Today, she's not only a practicing radiologist and entrepreneur—she's also a board member of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Education Foundation. The trajectory from camper to astronaut is not something she takes lightly. 'It felt like a magical place—where kids like me could step into roles usually reserved for adults and dive into big, complex ideas,' she says. 'At Space Camp, I told my counselor I wanted to be a mission commander. It was outside my comfort zone—but I wanted to lead.' She did, and she thrived, eventually earning awards like Outstanding Trainee and the Right Stuff Award. That mindset—of volunteering before you're ready, asking questions, and stepping into leadership—has stayed with her throughout her life and career. While Green always dreamed of space, her path took a practical turn. She became a physician and didn't discover radiology, a tech-heavy, physics-driven specialty, until medical school. When the field's famously difficult physics exam loomed, she remembered her time at Space Camp. 'If science could get humans to the moon,' she thought, 'I could learn the physics I needed.' Aymette Medina Jorge, a public school teacher from Texas, discovered Space Camp later in life through an educator program. Since then, she has brought groups of students year after year, sharing the same formative experiences that helped inspire her own career. Like Green, Jorge also joined the Blue Origin NS-32 crew, becoming part of the growing wave of civilian space travelers who first dared to dream in Huntsville. It all started at Space Camp. 'They need to go and visit Space Camp,' she says of families and travelers considering a trip. 'It's part of your path to go to space. There were a lot of things I got from Space Camp that I am applying in my classroom right now.' She says the training helped her better translate STEM ideas into engaging activities for her students—and it gave her a new language for discussing space careers in ways that feel accessible and relatable. Arriving in Huntsville, visitors are greeted by a towering Saturn V rocket that looms beside the highway like a monolith of American achievement. Inside the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, guests encounter everything from moon rocks and Apollo spacecraft to a newly redesigned Rocket Park that visually walks visitors through decades of space history. The recently restored Pathfinder shuttle is a striking photo op, and the Training Center's simulators make it easy to imagine yourself in a real launch scenario—even the mission control rooms buzz with purpose, not unlike the actual NASA facilities they emulate. For Green, returning to the campus today is deeply personal. Her daughter—also a Space Camp alum—recently had the chance to interview the Polaris Dawn crew in front of campers. 'It was a full-circle moment,' Green says. 'That spirit of exploration, community, and generosity is alive and well—and it's what makes Space Camp so much more than just a place. It's a launchpad for life.' Jorge describes the arrival even more viscerally. 'You are automatically going to be transported to space,' she says. 'When you see all the rockets in place, you think, 'Am I in a launchpad, and we're ready to go up?' You feel that energy, that enthusiasm, that good vibe. You know, 'I am in the right place to go to space right now.'' Today, the center offers programs for children, families, adults, and educators—each with varying levels of intensity, simulation, and training. The Adult Space Academy is especially popular with curious travelers, space enthusiasts, and even corporate teams seeking a leadership reset. And 2025, designated Alabama's Year of Aviation, offers even more incentive to visit, with special exhibits and restored aircraft, including the T-38, SR-71 Blackbird, and F-14 Tomcat, adding depth to the experience. After returning from space, both Green and Jorge spoke of how seeing Earth from above shifted their perspectives forever. 'To see the Earth from space changes your perspective,' Jorge says. 'You see this infinite black, and you see the Earth with that halo around it with this blue that is so beautiful. You realize two things. First, the greatness of God. And second, that the planet is so fragile. We have to take care of our home.' For Green, the experience was both a culmination and a beginning. 'Going to space was the hardest goal I could imagine—and achieving it brought a joy that touches everything I do now. My kids were inspired to see me work so hard toward what some might call an impossible dream—and succeed.' Whether you want to explore aviation history, rediscover your inner adventurer, or plant a seed of curiosity in the next generation, Huntsville's Space Camp is more than a vacation destination. It's a story you step into—and maybe one that changes your life. As Green puts it: 'Whether you want to become an astronaut or pursue any bold purpose, Space Camp helps you believe in your ability to rise to the challenge.' And sometimes, that belief is all it takes to reach the stars.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Check out the list of events for Armed Forces Celebration Week
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Several events will be taking place this week to honor members of the Armed Forces as well as civilians on Team Redstone. This morning, officials with the City of Huntsville, City of Madison, and Madison County presented a proclamation to Team Redstone declaring this week as Armed Forces Celebration Week. Members of the Brass Band of Huntsville also attended the event and played a medley for the guests. This week is filled with events and activities for military members and their families to enjoy. You can find a list of the following events below: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4 Armed Forces Celebration Luncheon 12 p.m. VBC Saturn Ballroom Featured Speaker: Lieutenant General Christopher Mohan Register HERE THURSDAY, JUNE 5 Team Redstone vs. Community Leaders Softball Game 6 p.m. Toyota Field Free admission, and we're giving away 500 hot dogs! Company with the most people in attendance wins the Grand Slam Spirit Award, plus a free table or sponsorship upgrade at the Marshall Space Flight Center 65th Anniversary Celebration Breakfast on July 17 See more details here Business After Hours: Special Armed Forces Edition at Community Softball Game 5 to 7 p.m. Held at Toyota Field during the Community Softball Game Registered attendees may set up table and showcase their business Bring signage, swag, and a smile Space is limited – register here FRIDAY, JUNE 6 Military Appreciation Night @ Huntsville City FC Gates open: 5 p.m. – Game time: 7 p.m. Wicks Family Field @ Joe Davis Stadium Purchase tickets here SATURDAY, JUNE 7 U.S. Army Birthday Celebration Presented by Redstone MWR 4 to 9 p.m. Redstone Gateway Featuring the U.S. Army Golden Knights, a DJ, car show, band, and fireworks More details MONDAY, JUNE 9 Concert in the Park & Fireworks 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Big Spring Park Rain location: VBC South Hall Featuring the Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCOE) Band from Fort Benning, GA More details THURSDAY, JUNE 12 Department of the Army Civilian Dinner 6:00 p.m. Jackson Center Tickets available for purchase here SATURDAY, JUNE 14 AUSA Army 250th Birthday Ball 6:00 p.m. U.S. Space & Rocket Center Davidson Center Tickets available for purchase here Some Huntsville-area attractions and local retailers will also offer military discounts. From June 2-9, Heart of the Valley YMCA will offer free admission to all active duty service members, veterans, and their families at all three YMCA branches across Huntsville and Madison. The offer is available for anyone with a valid military ID. Parkway Place Mall has several retailers offering deals and discounts for military families as well. The U.S. Space & Rocket Center will also offer free admission for veterans and active duty military with at least one paid admission June 2-9. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Two Space Camp Alumnae on board Blue Origin's next launch
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — If you're looking for something out of this world to do this weekend, look no further. Tomorrow, The U.S. Space & Rocket Center is celebrating the launch of Blue Origin's New Shepard-32 mission with a blue-themed launch party. Our friend and CEO of the Space & Rocket Center, Dr. Kimberly Robinson joined us on Day to Day Friday with more on the launch and how the center plans to celebrate another historic flight. Saturday, May 31 beginning at 8 a.m. Blue Origin's human-crewed suborbital flight will have Space Camp alumnae Dr. Gretchen Green and Aymette (Amy) Medina Jorge on board. The launch party takes place in the 'Dare to Explore: Frontiers of Space' exhibit where Blue Origin's BE-3U and BE-4 engines are on display. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
In Alabama, NASA's annual rover vehicle challenge drives inspiration for the moon and beyond
April 8 (UPI) -- NASA will kick off its 31st annual Rover Competition this week in Alabama, giving students from around the world a chance to show their engineering prowess in the space agency's "" obstacle course games. On Friday, student teams will gather for NASA's annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge near the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville to compete at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center's Aviation Challenge course for events through Saturday. Expected to participate at the free event open to the public: Some 35 colleges and universities, along with 38 high schools and two middle schools from 20 states, including Puerto Rico and 16 other nations. The event is free and open to the public. According to NASA, hundreds of students from around the globe will -- with their teams -- attempt to navigate NASA's self-described "complex" obstacle course by piloting a vehicle of their own design and production in the traditional human-powered rover division. This year's competitive event expanded to include a remote-control division. Rover excursions will be seen from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT each day, or until the last rover completes NASA's obstacle course. On Saturday, NASA officials will host an in-person awards ceremony at 5:30 p.m. local time inside its Space Camp Operations Center at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, where multiple awards will be be given out to winners in the project's eight-month-long engineering design and construction. NASA says the annual challenge, launched in 1994 and managed by its Marshall's Southeast Regional Office of STEM Engagement, "reflects the goals" of the Artemis campaign and is one of eight Artemis Student Challenges. The goal is to "put competitors in the mindset of NASA's Artemis campaign," which aims to establish the first long-term presence on the moon and pave the way for eventual missions to Mars. Last year, NASA's first mobile robotic lunar rover deployed with the help of commercial partners had a goal to locate lunar ice that might be similarly used to support long-term missions on the moon. Teams pitch an engineering design for a lunar rover that would simulate an astronaut exploring the lunar surface while overcoming its various obstacles on a different planet in space. The competition expanded in 1996 to include high school teams -- only to evolve again in 2014 as the NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge. It now has seen more than 15,000 student participants.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Safe Haven Baby Box installed at Decatur Morgan Hospital
DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) — One more city in Alabama is now equipped to give infants a second chance. On Monday, Decatur Morgan Hospital staff members and local and state leaders gathered for a 'blessing' of the new Safe Haven Baby Box. It was installed at Decatur Morgan Hospital between the entrance to the emergency department and the ambulance bay. It is strategically located in an area without any security cameras, so any woman who is surrendering an infant can do so anonymously. 10 year old shares inspiration behind award winning artwork Under the Safe Haven law in Alabama, a mother can safely surrender their child without being prosecuted within the first 45 days of the child's life. This can be done at any fire station or hospital, however, a Baby Box ensures the process is anonymous. When a mother places an infant in a Safe Haven Baby Box and shuts the door, the child is safely locked inside, and an alarm sounds inside the hospital or fire station. This lets emergency personnel know that a child is inside. When a child is placed inside, the goal is to have a first responder get to the child within a few minutes. The child is then immediately given a medical evaluation. 'We will make sure that baby is taken care of,' Decatur Morgan Hospital President Kelli Powers said. U.S. Space & Rocket Center opens exhibit explaining weather tracking The new Baby Box in Decatur is the 16th to be installed in the state of Alabama. However, it is only the second to be installed at a hospital. All others are at fire stations. Powers told News 19 that when the idea to bring a Baby Box to Decatur was brought up, the hospital seemed like the perfect location. 'We are open 24/7/365 and we already have infants here every day,' Powers said. 'We already have formula, diapers, everything the baby already needs right here.' The Safe Haven organization was founded by Monica Kelsey. At the blessing of the new Baby Box on Monday, Kelsey shared her heartfelt story of being left as a baby. She said she has made it her mission to ensure no infant is illegally surrendered or worse. Kelsey said it is important to bring awareness to Safe Haven laws and to let mothers know what their options are. She said it is about giving a second chance to both the mother and the child. 'I will forever walk with these moms as they chose to do something safe for their kids,' Kelsey said. 'And I'll forever walk with these kids to show them their worth.' The Baby Box in Decatur is now functional. Safe Haven Baby Boxes have also recently been installed in Madison, Athens, and Muscle Shoals. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
