By Sara Ballenger

Photo by Sara Ballenger, Town Crier

Local middle-school students can travel out of this world at the new weeklong Space Academy program at Space Camp in Mountain View.

Space Camp came to Mountain View in July 1996, as a non-profit organization funded by the Space Camp Foundation, said Lynn Brown, programs manager.

“We are the first camp outside of the headquarters in Huntsville, Ala., to offer Space Academy,” Brown said.

Space Academy is going to differ from the Space Camp program that is offered at the site.

“Space Academy is more focused on science. The emphasis is more on hands-on work in a lab,” said Valerie Bunnell, human resources manager.

“For the kids who are really focused and driven to be aerospace engineers or astronauts, this is the testing water,” Brown said. “If you can withstand Space Academy then you really must have an interest in the space program, because we throw a lot at you.”

At the begining of the program, students train for two simulated shuttle missions. Students work together on a team.

“You have your commander and pilot, your mission specialists, a station and groundbase crew,” Brown said.

“We are getting a space station module with experiments the kids will be doing,” she said. “Any experiment that has been done in space has been simplified to a middle-school level.”

During the two-hour missions, the Space Camp staff throw problems at the crew to encourage teamwork.

“To be part of a successful team you have to communicate effectively,” said Space Camp Director, Julio Valencia. Students ages 13-15 will also be briefed on space and space travel by guest speakers from NASA.

“They’ll learn about why we go into space,” Brown said “They’ll learn about technology and the benefits we get from going into space, eating and sleeping in space, and space transportation.”

Space Academy aims to inspire students.

“We offer a hands-on experience of what math and science brings,” Valencia said. “I invite business people to come and see what we are doing here, as these are the future employees.”

Space Academy costs $899 per student, room, board and supplies included. Scholarships are available. Space Camp also offers two-hour and two-day field trips. For more information, call 1-800-63-SPACE. Tax deductible donations may also be made to the Space Camp Foundation. For donation information, e-mail Valencia, juliov@spacecamp.com.