One of the highlights of this year’s Reunion Weekend is a silent auction that will benefit the Space Camp Scholarship Fund.

All of the items up for auction can be seen on this site, and the list of goodies is as follows:

• A Space Camp Flight Suite, Autographed by William Shatner
• An Apollo 13 Movie Poster, Autographed by Tom Hanks
• A Day in Lynchburg, TN Package from Jack Daniel (includes a tour of the Jack Daniel Distillery)
• A Collection of Items Autographed by Homer Hickam, Author of Rocket Boys
• A “The Power to Go” Canvas by Artist Paul Calle
• The Painting, “Outdoor Saturn V,” Signed by Artist Cynthia Nichols
• “Fall Smoky Mountain Scenery,” a Painting by Artist Mark Keathley
• Two Separate Lots Containing Items Autographed by Story Musgrave
• A Space-Worn Polo Shirt Autographed by its Wearer, Hoot Gibson
• A Copy of “Star Wars” Sheet Music, Autographed by Composer John Willaims

It’s quite a collection of items up for auction! The only disappointment, no doubt, is that you must be present to bid in the silent auction!

But it’s not too late to get yourself down to Huntsville, AL for the 2009 Reunion Weekend!

At some point in the mid-80s, Space Camp was featured on the show, Reading Rainbow. Specifically, the episode was entitled “Let’s Go,” and Space Camp had a 3.5 minute segment on that episode.

I’ve gotten hold of that episode and posted the segment for your viewing pleasure.

It’s fairly interesting to see Space Camp in the 80s. They had a moon buggy they drove around the lunar mock-up in Rocket Park, and it would seem that they had some of the simulators in the museum (though they may have just been moved there for the episode taping. Who’s to say?).

But you don’t have to take my word for it:

The new Space Camp Barbie dolls have finally been released!

To get a glimpse of how the new dolls look (complete with their U.S. Space & Rocket Center T-Shirts), go vist the Space Camp Barbie Page on Space Camp’s website.

Also on that page are links to video clips from local news outlets highlighting the release.

I was looking through some old Space Camp memoribilla today and came across a photo in the 1988 of the recently-arrived Pathfinder.

No boosters, no External Tank. There it sat.

As you can see from the fresh paint job in this photo and the lack of paint and material in recent photos, the past 20 years have not been kind.

It's about time they did this, frankly. And yet, I'm surprised it had never even crossed my mind before.

They've reissued (though one could make the argument that they've just now issued) the SpaceCamp movie patch!

That's right! In honor of the 25th Anniversary, Space Camp is really going back to its past, producing copies of the patch from the movie SpaceCamp. This was the precursor to the patch we've all come to know and love over the years.

Space Camp has (thus far) produced only 500 copies of the movie patch. And it's currently not available for sale online, either. Therefore, the only way to get this patch is to 1) Purchase an original for large sums of money on ebay if/when you can find one for sale or 2) visit the Space & Rocket Center gift shop to buy one!

However, the nice guy that I am, I'm going to give option 3. Go make a post here (post anything) to enter, and one person will be randomly selected to get a SpaceCamp movie patch! You have until Saturday, April 7, 2007 at 11:59pm EDT to be eligible.

I recently added an item to my collection of Space Camp memorabilia (yes, I collect this stuff) and it's a good one!

I just got a 1986 Space Camp Program Guide!

Space Camp has a 1985 one, but they don't have, to the best of my knowledge, one from 1986!

Update: Actually, I should read my own website. As seen during my trip for Space Camp's 20th, they do indeed have a 1986 copy (2nd photo...it's sticking out from under a newspaper clipping)! To the best of my knowledge (really this time), they have a 1985 and 1993 that I don't, but I have a 1987 (two, I think) and a 1992 which they don't!

...Now if only I could get a 1985 guide (and an '84 guide and...)!

The Alabama Shakespeare Festival is auctioning off tuition for 2 adults and 2 children to attend Parent/Child Space Camp!

The auction started at $150.00 but, as of this posting, is at $177.50. This is certainly a great deal, as such an experience would otherwise cost $700!

You can bid here.

I don't often mention eBay auctions here, mostly because I want to acquire things as cheaply as possible!

But there is quite an exceptional auction right now. It is from the collection of Gary Beadel, a teacher who was an one of the alternates for the ill-fated 51L.

Among the items are an old Space Camp flight suit (they all attended Space Camp) with the old patches as well as chilling photos taken by Gary on the day of the launch.

The auction has three days left on it, so I suggest you don't delay to see these remarkable photos. Of course, at $500.00, it might not sell the first time around, so if the auction relists, I'll be sure to update the link.

Update: The auction didn't sell, but the pictures are still up. Go take a look!

I've recently come across a T-Shirt design that, unless in some way licensed from Space Camp, just can't possibly be legal!

Granted, I'm not lawyer, but it just seems to look too much like the Space Camp logo to be a coincidence (3 stars and everything).

But, make of it what you will (or buy one yourself if you're so inclined, I suppose).

If anyone has any additional info about the product's legal status (or anything else of interest), please do send it my way.

I don't usually mention Space Camp related auctions on eBay on the front page, but, then again, I've never seen someone auctioning off a voucher to attend Parent/Child Space Camp in August in Laval, Quebec!

If you've had any desire to go to Space Camp Canda, this is probably as good of a chance as any, and I truly believe that the reserve is low (as the seller claimed).

Interested or not, it's fun to look at.

Update: At $100.00 Canadian (about $70US), the reserve for this auction has been met! That's one cheap trip for two to Space Camp!

Update: The auction closed for $113.51 Canadian or approx. $83US! That's a very cheap trip to camp!

As was posted on Slashdot, someone has built what looks like a very good replica of an orbiter flight deck and is now auctioning it off on eBay.

It can possibly be yours for just under $15,000 (plus shipping and handling)! Surely a steal!

The seller has also put up a website for the auction, as can be seen here.

UPDATE: Well, it would seem as if there were no buyers this time...though I wouldn't be surprised to see it posted up for auction again.

I was at Microsoft's Terraserver when I decided to look up One Tranquility Base.

What came up was an aerial photo from 1998. Go here to see it...it's definitely worth a look! ...Now if only I could get a realtime feed!

As the photo's from 1998, there's no Saturn V replica, but you can see the real one lying on its side, along with all of the rest of the things in Rocket Park!

Additionally, here is Space Camp Florida.

Update: I forgot to include the Aviation Challenge area, so here it is!

2nd Update: If you're interested, here's The Cape.

A copy of very same book in which I found a picture of the Pathfinder without it's SRB's is up for auction at eBay.

It's a very small book, at only 32 pages, but it's easily worth a few bucks.

The auction is here, and the seller posted the following picture of the book:

Update: I also found a copy of this book for 50 cents plus shipping at half.com!

I recently acquired a currently out-of-print book titled, "Let's Visit A Space Camp."

The book, which dates back to 1990, contained, among other great photos, one taken before the Pathfinder received its SRB's.

Pretty great stuff!

(Click on the picture to see a slightly larger photo)

This auction, currently running on eBay, has a Jetsons cereal box from 1990 with a promotional ad offering a free trip to Space Camp.

The box is from 1990 (I didn't even know there ever was a Jetsons cereal, let alone as recent as 1990).

The auction price is currently at $4.95. While I did plan to buy it so I could post scans of the back (assuming there'd be a full-blown Space Camp promo on it), I really can't justify spending even five bucks for the thing, so you'll have to make do with this very small picture the seller posted.