Could Adult Space Camp be the ultimate couples getaway?

29.07.2024 - 20:13 / thepointsguy.com

Growing up, space intrigued me. I wasn't exactly building model rockets in my backyard, but the idea of floating among the stars always seemed like a nifty alternative to physics class. While my dreams didn't take me to NASA, they occasionally drifted to the cosmos. So, when the opportunity to attend Adult Space Camp emerged, it felt like a cosmic nod to those quieter daydreams, albeit with a grown-up twist.

Heading to Adult Space Camp meant a weekend getaway with my husband without our lively 5-year-old son (because while they offer Family Space Camp, there's something about the phrase "no kids allowed" that sounds like heaven when you've just survived another round of birthday parties).

What better way to spend Mother's Day than by skipping the brunch crowds for a weekend of zero-gravity fun in Huntsville, Alabama?

So there we were, planning to trade sippy cups and soccer games for spacesuits and simulators and to see if pondering the mysteries of the universe would launch us into an adventure far from the orbit of our daily routines.

Could strapping into a flight simulator or maneuvering through a mock space mission rekindle the thrill of discovery and bring us closer as a couple? We were on a mission to discover if this out-of-this-world getaway might be the ultimate way for couples to reignite their cosmic spark.

Adult Space Camp, hosted at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, also known as Rocket City, brings every latent childhood dream of space exploration to vivid life. Officially called Adult Space Academy, this "camp" experience isn't just a walk through a museum; it's an immersive plunge into the life of an astronaut, complete with all the educational thrills of actual astronaut training.

Upon arrival, participants are whisked into a weekend of rigorous but fun activities that closely mirror the actual astronaut training process. You'll experience everything from receiving mission briefings to engaging in hands-on activities like building and launching model rockets. The camp is equipped with high-fidelity simulators, including the Multi-Axis Trainer, which mimics the disorientation in a tumbling spacecraft, and the 1/6th Gravity Chair, offering a taste of what walking on the moon feels like.

What sets this camp apart is not just the chance to live out a day in the life of an astronaut but also the opportunity to interact with actual space artifacts, some of which aren't typically available to the public, like a pair of moon boots. You get to see, touch and learn about pieces of space history that have seen the cosmos up close, adding an authentic layer of awe to the experience.

The educational component is robust. It dives into the details of spacecraft engineering, orbital