2025 StellarCamp Update:
AFA introduced the StellarCamp initiative in 2021 to provide a meaningful space-focused STEM activity for middle and high school students during the summer. While we had hoped to provide a significantly updated/upgraded camp experience in 2025, our limited resources rendered as infeasible a complete overhaul of the StellarCamp curriculum this year. Instead, we will be offering the same curriculum as 2023/2024 (with a few updates) and will be using this year's camps to collect as much honest instructor/participant feedback and input as we can to evaluate StellarCamps for their effectiveness, value, presentation, currency, and relevancy. This will allow us to more closely match next year's camp curriculum (2026) to your needs and expectations. More information will follow on our data collection plans.
Please note that we are offering the StellarCamp curriculum for license by individuals or organizations. By acquiring the camp package, you will have access to the existing curriculum for personal use.
2025 StellarsCamps will be available for purchase starting March 4, 2025 at a price of $99.
AFA introduced the StellarCamp initiative in 2021 to provide a meaningful space-focused STEM activity for middle and high school students during the summer. While we had hoped to provide a significantly updated/upgraded camp experience in 2025, our limited resources rendered as infeasible a complete overhaul of the StellarCamp curriculum this year. Instead, we will be offering the same curriculum as 2023/2024 (with a few updates) and will be using this year's camps to collect as much honest instructor/participant feedback and input as we can to evaluate StellarCamps for their effectiveness, value, presentation, currency, and relevancy. This will allow us to more closely match next year's camp curriculum (2026) to your needs and expectations. More information will follow on our data collection plans.
Please note that we are offering the StellarCamp curriculum for license by individuals or organizations. By acquiring the camp package, you will have access to the existing curriculum for personal use.
2025 StellarsCamps will be available for purchase starting March 4, 2025 at a price of $99.
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WHAT IS A STELLARCAMP?
Keep the fun going all summer long!StellarCamps are fun space system design camp for 6-12 grade students. Participants learn about aspects of space system (just like what they would be learning in our National Space Design Competition), and no prior experience is required!
StellarCamps are best suited for high school and middle school students who are just getting into aerospace and want to learn more. There are also many hands-on activities and practice exercises to review concepts covered in the curriculum, in addition to fun ice-breakers and teambuilding activities. Every camp concludes with a mini-competition scenario to challenge participants on the skills they obtain over the course of the week. |
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WHAT WILL THE STUDENTS BE LEARNING?
StellarCamp OutlineThink of this program as a StellarXplorers "bootcamp." The curriculum offers glimpse into topics and challenges seen in the National Space Design Competition. Students who complete the camp are encouraged to continue their learning by registering a team for the competition season, as they'll have the foundational knowledge and skills to be successful.
Circular Orbits & Orbit Determination Why go to space? | Basic Classical Orbital Elements (COEs) | Introduction to Systems Tool Kit (STK) | Visualizing Orbits and Calculating Total Access Time Launch Vehicles History of Rocketry | Rocket Science and Propulsion Systems | Types of Launch Vehicles | Launch Vehicle Selection Planning Satellite Component Remote Sensing Payloads | Satellite Component Subsystems | Interplanetary Missions | Selection Considerations | Cosmic Perspective Elliptical Orbits History of Space Exploration | Advanced COEs | Space Careers | Visualizing Elliptical Orbits using STK | Calculating Total Access Time of Elliptical Orbits using STK Artemis Mission and StellarCamp Challenge Space Environment | Artemis Mission | StellarCamp Challenge |
What's included?
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Guides:
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PowerPoint Presentations:
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STK Files:
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Additionally, STK 12.5 software will be provided upon request of a license. STK cannot be run on Macbooks or Chromebooks.
WHERE AND WHEN ARE THE CAMPS HELD?
StellarCamp Locations
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Camp locations vary year-to-year depending on what organizations choose to host a camp. Camp hosts can be any approved organizations or institutions that register with the StellarXplorers Program Office to host. These organizations include but are not limited to:
If you don't wish to host a camp, but rather use this camp as a personal resource, you are welcome to do so. |
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StellarCamp Dates
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The camp curriculum is yours to keep once purchased (unlike previous years where access was limited to a scheduled week). Because of this, there is more flexibility for when camps can be offered and how they can be used.
We are not requiring camps to be held during specific dates. Hosts are free to choose a week/timeframe that works best for them. If you do plan to host a camp for a group of students, we still encourage following a 5-day schedule of the camp. This can be done in 5 consecutive days or spread out over a set timeframe (e.g., one day a week for 5 weeks). If you plan to use the camp as a self-paced program, you are free to work at whatever pace is best for you! IMPORTANT NOTE FOR ALL CAMP PARTICIPANTS: Systems Tool Kit (STK) is a software required for completion of the camp. Once the camp is purchased, you will be provided with instructions to request your software license. Licenses will expire on July 31, 2025, regardless of when they are issued. On August 1, 2025, you may request a one-time renewal. The renewed license will be valid through July 31, 2025. WE DO NOT RECOMMEND HOSTING A CAMP BETWEEN JULY 28 - AUGUST 1, AS LICENSES WILL EXPIRE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PROGRAM AND PARTICIPANTS WILL BE UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE EXERCISES. |
