Big Blue Summer Campers Explore NASA Wallops Island
July 26, 2017
Big Blue Summer Camp participants at the NASA Wallops Island Flight Facility launch pad.
By S. Morgan-Glover
Seventy-two campers took part in various exploration activities during the Big Blue Summer Camp's recent air and space-themed week.
Campers learned about space exploration through guides and educational sessions provided by the NASA Education Program. The highlight of the week was a fieldtrip to NASA Wallops Flight Facility where campers toured the main base.
The visit included stops at the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF), the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport and NASA's Mission Control Room. Guides also shared space stories and answered many curious camper's questions.
After the trip, campers were eager to share their experience by detailing their favorite moments.
"My favorite part of the field trip was going on the launch pad and learning how different rockets are shot off," said Alyssa, one of the campers on the field trip.
Another camper, Miles, said his favorite part was the mission control room.
Jean Holt, the Big Blue Summer Camp director, noted that many of the campers echoed how "neat" it was to see how a space craft prepares for launch.
"Campers seemed to have really enjoyed the entire experience and we plan to work with NASA and Virginia Space again next year to provide more space exploration learning opportunities for our campers," she said.
For more information, visit the Big Blue Summer Camp website.
