SpaceCamp
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Space Camp is a 1986 movie based on a book by Patrick Bailey and Larry B. Williams and inspired by the U.S. Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. The film starred Kate Capshaw, Lea Thompson and Tate Donovan. Its screenplay was written by W. W. Wicket and Casey T. Mitchell.
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Synopsis
The movie centers around four teenagers and a twelve year old boy who have gone to space camp for three weeks during summer, where they will learn about the NASA space program and train as astronauts. There they meet Andie, an instructor and astronaut who is frustrated that she has yet to be assigned to a space shuttle mission.
Things start to unravel when Max, the 12-year-old, saves a sentient robot named Jinx. To return the favor, Jinx decides to send Max into space after hearing Max say during a moment of frustration that he wanted to be in space.
Jinx secretly enters NASA's computer room the night before the teens and Andie were to sit in a shuttle as it test-fired its engines, but did not launch. But Jinx changes the computers' programming so the shuttle will, in fact, be launched.
After Andie is injured trying to transport oxygen from "Space Station Daedalus" (see International Space Station) to the shuttle's cargo bay, the teens fly the shuttle to landing by themselves, drawing on their earlier experience at space camp.
Characters and cast
- Kevin Donaldson (played by Tate Donovan). Kevin from the start made it clear that he didn't want to be at Space Camp and looked down on people who did — he admitted early on that the only reason he was there was because his father bought him a Jeep in return for attending. Donaldson was originally assigned to a different team of campers, but he wanted to get to know Kathryn so he stole another camper's tag and joined her group.
- Kathryn Fairly (Lea Thompson). Kathryn wanted to be the first woman shuttle commander (at the time the movie aired, there were no women shuttle pilots or commanders — the first woman shuttle pilot and commander is astronaut Eileen M. Collins). She idolized camp counselor Andie Bergstrom, a real astronaut. Kathryn arrived at the camp by piloting her own biplane.
- Rudy Tyler (Larry B. Scott). Rudy was the clumsy "odd man out" of the group, and sometimes acted as comic relief. He said he wanted to be the fourth black astronaut and have the first outer space fast food franchise.
- Tish Ambrose (Kelly Preston). Tish, a typical teenager (and semi-Valley Girl), saw camp was a way to be away from her parents. She came across as a ditzy blonde, but in fact had a photographic memory.
- Max Graham (Joaquin Phoenix, credited as "Leaf Phoenix"). Max was an eager 12-year-old space enthusiast who bonded with the robot Jinx. He had been to Junior Camp twice in a row, and was supposed to be in Junior Camp again, but snuck into the camp for older kids instead. Andie, knowing Max from earlier years, let him stay.
- Andie Bergstrom (Kate Capshaw). Andie was a camp instructor and astronaut who had dreamed of going to space since she was a child. She had become frustrated with waiting to be assigned to a mission and was growing tired of chaperoning children at the camp.
- Zach Bergstrom (Tom Skerritt) was the camp director and Andie's husband.
- Jinx, the robot, Maxs friend.
U.S. SpaceCamp
The real Space Camp that inspired the movie was founded in 1982 and is located at the U.S Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The purpose of the program is to use spaceflight and aviation to inspire nine- to eighteen-year-olds to study and become involved in fields such as math, science and technology. Its four- to six-day programs expose participants to training devices that the historic Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts experienced such as the Multi-Axis trainer, the 5-Degrees of Freedom Chair, and the 1/6th Gravity Chair. They also experience a shuttle cockpit simulator and in some cases, fighter jet simulators. Though the camp is mostly oriented toward children and teenagers, it also operates an adult Space Academy on certain weekends.
External links
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- US Space camp website (http://www.spacecamp.com/index.php)