As we continue to honor 50 years of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, we look back at the exceptional moments throughout the years. Here are 50 great memorable moments:
1. The idea for the museum was proposed by Dr. Wernher von Braun. Knowing the popularity of college football in the state, von Braun convinced University of Alabama and Auburn University coaches Bear Bryant and Shug Jordan to appear in a commercial together. The commercial called for support of a $1.9 million statewide bond referendum to finance the museum.
2. The bus tours of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center began July 4, 1972.
3. Ed Buckbee, the museum’s first executive director, appeared on “The Mike Douglas Show” on Oct 23, 1975. He brought along a “5-Degrees of Freedom Chair,” or 5DF, which simulates a frictionless environment such as a spacewalk.
4. In the 1977, while walking the grounds of the museum, Dr. von Braun made a comment to museum director Ed Buckbee. “You know, we have all these camps for youngsters in this country - band camps and cheerleader camps and football camps. Why don't we have a science camp?” Buckbee took the notion of a science camp, and opened Space Camp® in 1982.
5. In July 1979, the museum celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing with a reenactment on outdoor lunar surface in rocket park. The reenactment took place at night, and was filmed by local television stations. Local actors took the roles of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.
6. The Spacedome IMAX® theater opened on December 19, 1982. It was in use for 36 years at the Rocket Center. When it closed in 2018, it was one of the only remaining 70mm film locations in the world.
7. In the summer of 1985, the movie “SpaceCamp” was filmed on location at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. The film starred Kate Capshaw, Lea Thompson and Tom Skerritt. It was inspired by the real-life camp programs. It was released June 6, 1986.
8. Former U.S. Space & Rocket Center director Ed Buckbee appeared on “Late Night with David Letterman,” twice in 1986. On his first appearance, Buckbee brought along a 5 Degrees of Freedom Chair - a simulator in the Space Camp program - for Letterman to try out. Letterman invited Buckbee back for a second appearance.
9. The groundbreaking of the Space Camp training center was in 1986. The training center’s mission was to replicate the astronaut training center in Houston, Texas, and provide Space Camp with the “most exciting auxiliary educational facility on Earth.” In addition, it would also “provide a fascinating glimpse into the future for museum visitors.”
10. The Huntsville Marriott opened in 1986 on the U.S. Space & Rocket Center property.
11. Space Camp for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing started in 1986. The first camp had 21 students from around the United States. Since then, over 2,000 students from around the world have attended the program. In 2020, the camp celebrates its 34th year.
12. President George H.W. Bush visited the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in 1987, when he was serving as vice-president. He tried the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) simulator, which allows an astronaut to move freely in space. He also visited trainees during their space missions. In 1990, he visited Huntsville again, where he addressed trainees and spoke about the need for continued space exploration and trips to the moon and Mars.
13. In May, 1988, the Space Shuttle Orbiter “Pathfinder” arrived at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and was put on permanent display. The orbiter was originally built by NASA in 1977 as a test simulator. It was previously on display in Tokyo, Japan. It moved to the Rocket Center from NASA Marshall Space Flight Center atop specially designed trucks travelling fewer than five miles per hour.
14. On July 15, 1989, the crew of Apollo 11 visited the U.S. Space & Rocket Center to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first moon landing. NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins were all in attendance.
15. Aviation Challenge, a military-style camp that teaches the basics of fighter pilot training, opened in 1990. The camp sold out in its first year, and 600 trainees attended. The first year was only open for high school students in grades 10 - 12. In 1991, a second program was added for grades seven through nine.
16. Arnold Schwarzenegger visited the museum in 1990 as part of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
17. The first International Space Camp was held in summer, 1990. The goal was to “promote the advancement of all people through international cooperation in space studies.” Twenty countries attended the first camp. “It’s a great privilege and honor to be here today and certainly a great opportunity for our countries for further cooperation in space,” said Eiril Johnsen, a trainee from Norway.
18. In August, 1993, Chelsea Clinton attended Space Camp in Huntsville, while her father, Bill Clinton, was president of the United States. The week she attended was International Space Camp, and she was one of 46 students attending the program.
19. For the 25th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1994, the museum featured an exhibit of “Life in the 1960s.” Ringo Starr’s drum set from “The Beatles” was on display as part of the exhibit.
20. In 1994, the first American to travel into space, Alan Shepard, unveiled a U.S. Postal Services “Space Fantasy” stamp during first day issue ceremonies at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.
21. Space Camp Barbie® was produced in 1998 by Mattel. The doll was a “Special Edition” sold at Toys “R” Us. She came with her own Space Camp flight suit, a graduation certificate, freeze dried space food, and even “Shuttle Bucks,” that trainees used in the Space Camp gift shop. A new, updated edition of the doll was unveiled in 2008. “Barbie I Can Be... Space Camp” came with her own Space Camp duffle bag, an astronaut helmet, and a special Space Camp award.
22. In 2005, the restoration efforts began on the Saturn V Dynamic Test Vehicle. To raise funds for the project, distinctive license plates were sold in the state of Alabama. The plates have been available every year since , and were recently redesigned.
23. In mid-2005, a NASA Educator Resource Center was built on the campus.
24. In July 2006, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Davidson Center for Space Exploration, which would house the Saturn V Dynamic Test Vehicle. In attendance were NASA astronauts Walt Cunningham, Richard Gordon, and Owen Garriott. Dr. George Mueller, a former director of NASA’s manned spaceflight program, was also in attendance.
25. The Space Camp Hall of Fame was established in 2007. The purpose is to honor outstanding graduates, former employees, and friends of Space Camp who have made considerable contributions in their fields, or have furthered the mission of Space Camp. The first inductees included Dr. Wernher von Braun and Edward Buckbee.
26. On Jan 31, 2008, the Davidson Center for Space Exploration was officially opened in an evening gala celebration that was streamed online in a webcast by “The Huntsville Times.”
27. In summer, 2010, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center began hosting traveling exhibits. The first exhibit was “Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination.”
28. In 2011, filming took place for the movie “A Smile as Big as the Moon,” which is based on the book of the same name. The film tells the true story of a group of special needs students attending Space Camp in 1988.
29. On Feb 3, 2011, NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong made his second visit to the museum. He presented the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Education to Dr. Georg von Tiesenhausen, who was a member of Dr. von Braun’s rocket team. Von Tiesenhausen was also a regular lecturer at Space Camp, giving lessons since the mid-1980s. Armstrong presented von Tiesenhausen with the award on the same night three new exhibits were unveiled: an Apollo 12 moon rock, an Apollo 16 capsule, and a waterfall display in the museum’s courtyard.
30. In 2012, filming took place for the movie, “Space Warriors.” The film starred Mira Sorvino, Josh Lucas, and Danny Glover. The film tells the story of Space Camp trainees who help rescue astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station.
31. On Jan 31, 2013, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center held the “Explorers’ Ball.” Distinguished guests included all Skylab astronauts: Dr. Owen Garriott, Alan Bean, Paul Weitz, Joe Kerwin, Jack Lousma, Jerry Carr, Bill Pogue and Edward Gibson. The only Skylab astronaut not present was Charles “Pete” Conrad, who died in a motorcycle accident in 1999.
32. On June 19, 2013, the show “Shipping Wars” aired an episode featuring the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. The reality show featured the T-38 Talon aircraft being transported from El Paso, Texas to the museum in Huntsville, Alabama.
33. From March 11 to April 1, 2014, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center welcomed NPR’s “StoryCorps,” in partnership with WLRH-FM, Huntsville’s public radio station. The station aired a selection of local interviews recorded at the Rocket Center. “StoryCorps” is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving stories of Americans from all backgrounds. The “StoryCorps” Archive is the largest collection of human voices, and is preserved at the Library of Congress.
34. On Aug 9, 2014, seven Tuskegee Airmen were honored at an F-16 Red Tail dedication ceremony at Aviation Challenge. The U.S. Space & Rocket Center received permission from the National Museum of the Air Force to paint an existing F-16 in the famous “Red Tail” livery to honor Alabama’s Tuskegee Airmen. U.S. Army Gen. Dennis Via, commander of the Army Materiel Command, led the dedication ceremony. On Feb 4, 2020, Tuskegee Airman Charles Mcgee, who attended the 2014 ceremony, was promoted to brigadier general by President Donald Trump.
35. In 2014, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s first crowdfunding campaign raised $71,340 to help install Shuttle Training Aircraft NASA 945 in Shuttle Park.
36. In 2015, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center opened “ISS: Science on Orbit.” Visitors to the museum are able to get a view into the future of space flight through this NASA-funded exhibit.
37. On Nov 14, 2014, Space Camp Crew Trainers, along with Space Camp alumna Alyssa Carson, appeared on “The Steve Harvey Show.” A multi-axis trainer (MAT), which simulates a tumble spin in space, was brought along for Steve to try.
38. On Sept. 19, 2015, nearly 5,500 people visited the museum during Museum Day Live, a national event hosted by Smithsonian Magazine.
39. In 2016, the museum’s social media rose to the top when a user’s post about attending Adult Space Camp made the front page of the popular networking site Reddit. “It took me 30 years, but I finally made it!,” said user I_Say_I_Say. Nearly 19,000 people upvoted, or “liked” the post, and more than 1,000 people shared their own memories of attending Space Camp.
40. Yellowhammer Brewing, a local Huntsville-based beer company, partnered with the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in 2016 to create T-Minus beer. The beer, a tangerine kolsch, inspired by Tang, was created for Summer Fest, a yearly event hosted by the Rocket Center. The beer was so popular that Yellowhammer Brewing decided to produce it year-round, with a portion of the proceeds being donated to Space Camp scholarships.
41. In addition to being the Official Visitor Center for NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center also became a visitor center for the Tennessee Valley Authority in 2016.
42. Eddie Money, Mickey Thomas, and other prominent 1980s rock stars performed their hits at a concert in shuttle park in July, 2016 to help raise funds for Space Camp scholarships. Eddie Money died Sept. 13, 2019.
43. In 2017, Netflix released “The Mars Generation,” a documentary that was filmed on-site at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. The film followed a team of aspiring astronauts in Advanced Space Academy.
44. On Aug. 22, 2017, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey gave the U.S. Space & Rocket Center a $10 million grant to establish U.S. Cyber Camp. The camp allows trainees to delve into the world of cyber technologies through hands-on experiences.
45. In 2018, the Bollywood movie “Zero” filmed scenes around Huntsville, including scenes at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. A romantic comedy, “Zero” told the story of a scientist with cerebral palsy.
46. On March 26, 2019, Vice-President Mike Pence visited the U.S. Space & Rocket Center for a meeting of the National Space Council. Vice-President Pence discussed the future of human space exploration, and set a goal of reaching the moon by 2024. One of the Space Camp vehicles drove in Pence’s presidential motorcade. It was the first time a commercial vehicle had ever been a part of the motorcade.
47. Space Camp for Interested Visually Impaired Students (SCI-VIS) celebrated 30 years in 2019. This special program, which started in 1989, brings together visually impaired trainees from around the world.
48. On July 16, 2019, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch with a celebration dinner. In attendance were Apollo astronauts General Tom Stafford and Col. Al Worden, along with Skylab astronauts Col. Jack Lousma and Dr. Ed Gibson.
49. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center organized a model rocket launch at Space Camp’s “Homer Hickam Launch Pad.” 5,000 Estes® model rockets were launched simultaneously. Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden was in attendance, and turned the key to “prime” the rockets. Dr. Wernher von Braun’s daughter, Margit von Braun, also attended. The rocket launch was a record attempt for Guinness World Records.
50. On Dec. 28, 2019, five-time Space Camp Alumna and NASA astronaut Christina Koch set the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman. She returned to Earth on Feb 6, 2020, after spending 328 days in space.