Conference 7.286::space

    My daughter attended Space Academy (Level I) last fall and was
    absolutely thrilled. They worked her hard (up at 6:30 and to bed
    at 10PM after a FULL day/night of training and hands-on practical
    exercises) for the whole week! Most of the instructors are college
    students or recent grads. Several are sons or daughters of astronauts
    and have interesting personal anecdotes! It is expensive, but 
    considering the knowledge and experience gained it is worth it for
    those who think they would like a career in the space industry or
    with NASA.
    
    She is going back for Level II on December 10th and might apply
    to be a counselor for Space Camp (the younger kids' level) after
    she graduates from High School in May.
    
    Maybe she'll find some information on Shuttle-C while she is there.
    
    John B.
    

   re: 578.0 <NETMAN::COHEN>

   Matt,

   >...we saw a mockup of the new Shuttle C. It is to be an unmanned space
   >shuttle...It looks like the shuttle except it has no wings and where the
   >cockpit is supposed to be is all cargo area. It is an ELV(expedeble launch
   >vehicle).

       If it doesn't have wings and it is an expendable launch vehicle, than
   what makes it a shuttle?  What makes it any different from a cargo rocket?

   Help me understand!
   Thanks,
   Tony

    re: 578.2
    
    It is a cargo rocket. The way it is like a shuttle is that it uses the
    SRB's and external tank on it's voyage up. I guess it is wrong to call
    it a real shuttle. One last thing that makes this different from
    present day shuttles is that it has more powerful and efficient main
    engines(20% more powerful I belive). I hope this clears it up a little. 

    	As the previous reply has mentioned, the Shuttle-C is a cargo
    version of the Space Shuttle (that's what the "C" stands for). At this
    point in time it has not yet been approved for actual development. It
    is more or less in competition with the ALS (Advanced Launch System)
    advocated by the USAF.
    	The Shuttle-C would make use of the present Space Shuttle's
    recoverable SRB's and the External Tank. Between one and three SSME's
    would be located in a boat tail behind a cargo container. These engines
    may or may not be recovered (some think that it would be cheaper to use
    old SSME's near the end of their service life and not recover them).
    Depending on the number of SSME's used and on their thrust rating, any
    where between 80,000 and 250,000 pounds of cargo could be carried into
    low Earth orbit. If the concept is adopted, the system could be
    developed at a cost of about $1 billion and be ready to fly in four or
    five years.
    
    				Drew
                           

    Thanks for the information and the further clarification.
    
    Matt
    

    How much does a session at Spacecamp cost.  I saw the movie and
    would really like to go there myself.  It's as close to heaven as
    I'll proably ever get 8^)  Thanks for the info...
    
    Rob

    Here are the cost for going down to Space Academy:
    
    Space Camp-Alabama: grade 4-6 cost:Feb-may $450, June-Aug $550 Sept-dec
    $425
    Space Camp-Florida: grade 4-7 cost:Feb-May $450, June-Aug $550 Sept-Dec
    $425
    Space Academy-level1: Gr. 7-9 Feb-may $500, june-aug $600 sept-dec $475
    
    Aviation Challenge(Top Gun) Gr. 9-11 june-aug $650 sept-dec $650
    
    Space Academy-level2: Gr. 10-12 all sesions(feb-dec): $675
    
    Adult Space Academy: sessions only from Sept-Dec: $450
    
    Teacher Program: All sessions(Feb-Dec): $750
    
    
    	Space Camp and Space Academy level 1 are both 5 days long, Space
    Academy level 2 is 8 days long. Adult is 3 days long. BTW Space Academy
    level 2 includes one hour freshman science credit form the University
    of Alabama. It is reccomended that you reserve a space before Dec 15.
    You can pay for the session over the phone. The # is: 1-800-637-7223.
    Also it is so much better than the way the movie depicted it. 
    
    	-Matt