Comments on: The “astronaut” badge (LEVEL I).

By: Katie Peek

Katie Peek — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:03:03 +0000

I used the space shuttle simulator as an intern in Houston when I was an undergrad. I crashed it immediately.

By: Gabriella

Gabriella — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:35:09 +0000

Has no one else been to Space Camp??!! I’ve totally experienced what it’s like to be inside a space shuttle and complete a mission, as a mission specialist (fixing the hubble telescope) and as a payload specialist. Hehe, best summer camp ever.

By: Becca Stareyes

Becca Stareyes — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:09:39 +0000

Well, I’ve used the model of Cassini we keep in the office for knowing what the heck the spacecraft was doing when it took our data — in my case, it’s useful for figuring out the orientation of the spectrometer, and making sure no one has the other port pointing at something while I use the solar port. (My adviser also uses it for planning observations.) It’s a simulation of a spacecraft, albeit a robotic one.

By: Hawver

Hawver — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:50:23 +0000

Now, does a software simulator count? When I’m bored at work I’ll fire up Orbiter: http://orbit.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/. Occasionally I’ll make it at least 10 feet off the pad before exploding!

Little known fact about the STS – apparently every single switch in the cockpit enables “blow up instantly” mode during launch.