Blast-off for our City Space Camp!

Forty Dundee children are going out of this world during the October mid-term break by taking part in a holiday Space Camp.

During two week-long camps, welcoming 20 children each week, youngsters will go on a voyage of discovery, exploring everything from travelling to space and living in zero-gravity to studying satellites and the night sky.  They will also see, first-hand, that all things space are not necessarily ‘out there’ but part of our everyday lives, from their mobile phone messages to using GPS for directions.

Signing up for a packed programme of activities, the children will also learn how astronauts land safely and test out food enjoyed on the International Space Station before designing and launching their own rockets. They will even learn how satellites monitor threatened life back home, including penguins and whales!

Aimed at some of the city’s most deserving children, who might otherwise not enjoy such opportunities, the Dundee Science Centre Space Camp is part of ‘Our World from Space’, a UK-wide programme led by the Association of Science Discovery Centres (ASDC).

As NASA’s ‘Artemis’ programme returns astronauts to the Moon by 2024, preparing the way for human missions to Mars, this national STEM programme explores the relevance of UK space science for the future health and sustainability of our home planet, funded by UK Space Agency in partnership with Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), part of UK Research and Innovation.

Shaaron Leverment, ASDC Chief Executive, said, “The ASDC programme ‘Our World From Space’ places climate and the environment at the heart of this national space engagement programme. Dundee Science Centre Space camps are providing week-long opportunities for young people to delve into the wonders and opportunities of space science. An inspirational exploration that can also nurture a sense of interest, identity and aspiration for young people who may not feel that space science is for them. We are really excited to celebrate the City Space Camp initiative with other centres and museums across the UK.”

Lorraine Lemon, Head of Business Development at Dundee Science Centre, said, “We’re thrilled to be welcoming this group of mini-astronauts into the centre for a holiday camp like no other!  We’ve created a packed programme full of realistic, engaging activities and games which will prepare them to ‘blast off!’ and get them questioning what’s out there why it’s important and immerse them in the life of an astronaut. We hope the children will go home, share their enthusiasm with their families, and keep up some science learning in the process.”

Dundee Science Centre remains open to the public seven days a week, offering a range of award-winning exhibitions for visitors to interact with.

For more information, visit www.dundeesciencecentre.org.uk