First info letter te

Space Camp 2012- Information for students and parents

Aim: To take a group of 22 Cashmere High School students from Years 11 – 13 to America to undertake basic astronaut training and learn about the NASA Space programmes.

Tentative itinerary

Day 1 Fri 30 March Christchurch to LA … stay at Santa Monica Beach2 Sat 31 LA to Huntsville, Alabama.3 Sunday 1st April Students enrolled in the Advanced Space Academy4

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9 Sat 7th April Huntsville to Orlando, Florida10 Recovery morning and Gatorland11 Disney World with Youth Education Programme12 High School visit and rubber tube at natural springs. Plus NBA game if possible.13 Disney World with Youth Education Programme14 Kennedy Space Centre, Cape Canaveral – tour, see Saturn V rocket, plus have

lunch with an astronaut.15 Sea kayaking to observe manatees, dolphins etc plus air boat ride and swim in the

Atlantic Ocean.16 Disney World 17 Free day … Florida Mall 18 Mon 16April Orlando to LA19 LA to Christchurch20 Weds 18 April Arrive Christchurch

School Holiday dates: Term 1 holiday: Thursday 5th April to Sun 22nd April

Staff

The trip would be lead by Mr Tuaine with two other science department members. The cost of staff flights and general expenses would be covered by the students. The staff would not be enrolled in the Space Camp programme.

Costs( All New Zealand Dollars) 1:0.7 1:0.5

Weeklong programme where students get hands on training, as well as learn about the mental, physical and emotional demands astronauts must face. Students choose either the Pilot Track (Space Shuttle simulator) or Mission Specialist track (aeronautical engineering plus Scuba training to simulate weightlessness). Students must be ages 15 to 18.

Flights: Return ChCh to USA plus internal USA $3400

Space Camp bus ( from Huntsville and to Birmingham) $ 50 $70Manitur minibuses, Orlando $ 200 $280Accommodation (1 night LA) $ 60 $84

(Hostel Orlando 9 nights) $ 300 $420 (2 nights Huntsville) $ 125 $175

Advanced Space Camp $1200 $1680Cape Canaveral (Kennedy Space Centre) $ 80 $112Gatorland (half day) $ 40 $56Basketball game $ 80 $112Disney World plus YES programme $ 400 $560Sea Kayaking and air boat ride $ 250 $350Shared costs to cover staff $ 500 $700Travel insurance $ 120 $168Food (10 @ $25 per day) $ 250 $350Contingency fund $ 100 $140

Total $7155 $8257

All prices are in New Zealand dollars and are present best estimates. The cost of this year’s trip was $7000.

First Meeting

There will be a meeting in the Cashmere High School staffroom at 7pm on Tues 22th June to gauge interest. Experiences from this year’s trip will be shared and any questions can be answered.

Bob Tuaine Tom Wilkinson Jenny Merchant

Teachers in charge of Space Camp 2012

Web sites used:

http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/visit/visitor.htm

http://www.spacecamp.com

http://www.dphs.ocps.net/

http://www.orlandohostels.com/