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Twelve cadets, three officers and three parents visited the USCG Air Station Houston and then went to spend the night at the NASA Space Center Houston Museum on November 11-12, 2023.
The days first event started at the air station, where LT Jordyn Tolefree, USCG, gave an excellent briefing and then showed several videos about the Coast Guard mission in Houston and the Gulf Coast, and then all were given a tour of the air station. All members got to see their three MH-65E "Dolphin" helicopters. Cadets got to sit in the cockpits, view the glass cockpit instruments and see the radar in the front nose cone on one helicopter that was being worked on. As an extra unplanned surprise, the unit just happened to launch one of their helicopters while the squadron was there. The MH-65E took off to do a fly over in Houston for a Veterans Day event. Cadets were also able to see several Army Apache Blackhawks next to the air station. Lt Col Eibe reminded them that our C/Capt Jenkins is currently a senior (1st Class) at the USCG Academy, so we have ties with our squadron and the USCG.
Then everyone left for the NASA Space Center Houston Museum and checked in. All members had lots of time to tour the whole facility and see all the exhibits and the history of the U. S space program since it started. Dinner time came and after everyone had eaten, all went out to see the holiday lights. Many cadets stopped and made s’mores, had hot chocolate, and walked and toured the Space Shuttle mounted on the modified Boeing 747 that carried the shuttle from Edwards AFB back to NASA launch facilities in Florida. The cadets were able to see a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX that had been in space. It was impressive to see the landing gear that had been designed for the rocket to come back and land upright on its small landing pad.
In the evening, there were two classes scheduled for everyone. The first class was the ‘Lunar Coding Challenge’. Cadets and guests were to program a small, tracked rover to identify a color and then follow a set course. If done correctly, the rover would drive over the colored paper and the lights would then change to that color. Many members were able to complete the challenge.
The next class was then to build a Space Center Houston Estes rocket. All the squadron members, even the commander, all made rockets. In total, 14 rockets were built. When done, everyone went outside and watched some of them launched. The tops of the parachute had been clipped to allow the rocket to land closer to where it took off from so as to not land in the highways. It was a night launch, and it was fun to watch. Everyone brought their rockets home, and the squadron has the engines for all the rockets so they can be fired at a squadron meeting at Camp Mabry.
Everyone then went in to watch the IMAX movie “Space Explorers: The ISS Experience“. This movie, filmed from the International Space Station, included four astronauts, one being from Canada. It was then time for bed. The unit slept in the room by the panels with the history of the space program from the 80’s – 90’s. It was fun ‘sleeping under the stars’.
The next morning, everyone ate breakfast and rode the tram to see the full size, totally restored, Saturn V rocket. This rocket is the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful rocket ever flown. Other rockets were also available for viewing. The tram then took us to the next building, the Astronaut Training Facility, where you could see multiple space projects being worked on. It was an extremely long and high building for them to accommodate space items of all sizes. Astronauts train within this full-size classroom in the heart of NASA Johnson Space Center. Since its inception in 1975, the Astronaut Training Facility has supported NASA’s missions.
PHOTO CAPTIONS: USCGTwelve cadets, three officers and three parents visited the USCG Air Station Houston and then went to spend the night at the NASA Space Center Houston Museum on November 11-12, 2023.
The days first event started at the air station, where LT Jordyn Tolefree, USCG, gave an excellent briefing and then showed several videos about the Coast Guard mission in Houston and the Gulf Coast, and then all were given a tour of the air station. All members got to see their three MH-65E "Dolphin" helicopters. Cadets got to sit in the cockpits, view the glass cockpit instruments and see the radar in the front nose cone on one helicopter that was being worked on. As an extra unplanned surprise, the unit just happened to launch one of their helicopters while the squadron was there. The MH-65E took off to do a fly over in Houston for a Veterans Day event. Cadets were also able to see several Army Apache Blackhawks next to the air station. Lt Col Eibe reminded them that our C/Capt Jenkins is currently a senior (1st Class) at the USCG Academy, so we have ties with our squadron and the USCG.
Then everyone left for the NASA Space Center Houston Museum and checked in. All members had lots of time to tour the whole facility and see all the exhibits and the history of the U. S space program since it started. Dinner time came and after everyone had eaten, all went out to see the holiday lights. Many cadets stopped and made s’mores, had hot chocolate, and walked and toured the Space Shuttle mounted on the modified Boeing 747 that carried the shuttle from Edwards AFB back to NASA launch facilities in Florida. The cadets were able to see a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX that had been in space. It was impressive to see the landing gear that had been designed for the rocket to come back and land upright on its small landing pad.
In the evening, there were two classes scheduled for everyone. The first class was the ‘Lunar Coding Challenge’. Cadets and guests were to program a small, tracked rover to identify a color and then follow a set course. If done correctly, the rover would drive over the colored paper and the lights would then change to that color. Many members were able to complete the challenge.
The next class was then to build a Space Center Houston Estes rocket. All the squadron members, even the commander, all made rockets. In total, 14 rockets were built. When done, everyone went outside and watched some of them launched. The tops of the parachute had been clipped to allow the rocket to land closer to where it took off from so as to not land in the highways. It was a night launch, and it was fun to watch. Everyone brought their rockets home, and the squadron has the engines for all the rockets so they can be fired at a squadron meeting at Camp Mabry.
Everyone then went in to watch the IMAX movie “Space Explorers: The ISS Experience“. This movie, filmed from the International Space Station, included four astronauts, one being from Canada. It was then time for bed. The unit slept in the room by the panels with the history of the space program from the 80’s – 90’s. It was fun ‘sleeping under the stars’.
The next morning, everyone ate breakfast and rode the tram to see the full size, totally restored, Saturn V rocket. This rocket is the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful rocket ever flown. Other rockets were also available for viewing. The tram then took us to the next building, the Astronaut Training Facility, where you could see multiple space projects being worked on. It was an extremely long and high building for them to accommodate space items of all sizes. Astronauts train within this full-size classroom in the heart of NASA Johnson Space Center. Since its inception in 1975, the Astronaut Training Facility has supported NASA’s missions.
PHOTO CAPTIONS: USCG Twelve cadets, three officers and three parents visited the USCG Air Station Houston and then went to spend the night at the NASA Space Center Houston Museum on November 11-12, 2023.
The days first event started at the air station, where LT Jordyn Tolefree, USCG, gave an excellent briefing and then showed several videos about the Coast Guard mission in Houston and the Gulf Coast, and then all were given a tour of the air station. All members got to see their three MH-65E "Dolphin" helicopters. Cadets got to sit in the cockpits, view the glass cockpit instruments and see the radar in the front nose cone on one helicopter that was being worked on. As an extra unplanned surprise, the unit just happened to launch one of their helicopters while the squadron was there. The MH-65E took off to do a fly over in Houston for a Veterans Day event. Cadets were also able to see several Army Apache Blackhawks next to the air station. Lt Col Eibe reminded them that our C/Capt Jenkins is currently a senior (1st Class) at the USCG Academy, so we have ties with our squadron and the USCG.
Then everyone left for the NASA Space Center Houston Museum and checked in. All members had lots of time to tour the whole facility and see all the exhibits and the history of the U. S space program since it started. Dinner time came and after everyone had eaten, all went out to see the holiday lights. Many cadets stopped and made s’mores, had hot chocolate, and walked and toured the Space Shuttle mounted on the modified Boeing 747 that carried the shuttle from Edwards AFB back to NASA launch facilities in Florida. The cadets were able to see a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX that had been in space. It was impressive to see the landing gear that had been designed for the rocket to come back and land upright on its small landing pad.
In the evening, there were two classes scheduled for everyone. The first class was the ‘Lunar Coding Challenge’. Cadets and guests were to program a small, tracked rover to identify a color and then follow a set course. If done correctly, the rover would drive over the colored paper and the lights would then change to that color. Many members were able to complete the challenge.
The next class was then to build a Space Center Houston Estes rocket. All the squadron members, even the commander, all made rockets. In total, 14 rockets were built. When done, everyone went outside and watched some of them launched. The tops of the parachute had been clipped to allow the rocket to land closer to where it took off from so as to not land in the highways. It was a night launch, and it was fun to watch. Everyone brought their rockets home, and the squadron has the engines for all the rockets so they can be fired at a squadron meeting at Camp Mabry.
Everyone then went in to watch the IMAX movie “Space Explorers: The ISS Experience“. This movie, filmed from the International Space Station, included four astronauts, one being from Canada. It was then time for bed. The unit slept in the room by the panels with the history of the space program from the 80’s – 90’s. It was fun ‘sleeping under the stars’.
The next morning, everyone ate breakfast and rode the tram to see the full size, totally restored, Saturn V rocket. This rocket is the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful rocket ever flown. Other rockets were also available for viewing. The tram then took us to the next building, the Astronaut Training Facility, where you could see multiple space projects being worked on. It was an extremely long and high building for them to accommodate space items of all sizes. Astronauts train within this full-size classroom in the heart of NASA Johnson Space Center. Since its inception in 1975, the Astronaut Training Facility has supported NASA’s missions.
PHOTO CAPTIONS: USCG Twelve cadets, three officers and three parents visited the USCG Air Station Houston and then went to spend the night at the NASA Space Center Houston Museum on November 11-12, 2023.
The days first event started at the air station, where LT Jordyn Tolefree, USCG, gave an excellent briefing and then showed several videos about the Coast Guard mission in Houston and the Gulf Coast, and then all were given a tour of the air station. All members got to see their three MH-65E "Dolphin" helicopters. Cadets got to sit in the cockpits, view the glass cockpit instruments and see the radar in the front nose cone on one helicopter that was being worked on. As an extra unplanned surprise, the unit just happened to launch one of their helicopters while the squadron was there. The MH-65E took off to do a fly over in Houston for a Veterans Day event. Cadets were also able to see several Army Apache Blackhawks next to the air station. Lt Col Eibe reminded them that our C/Capt Jenkins is currently a senior (1st Class) at the USCG Academy, so we have ties with our squadron and the USCG.
Then everyone left for the NASA Space Center Houston Museum and checked in. All members had lots of time to tour the whole facility and see all the exhibits and the history of the U. S space program since it started. Dinner time came and after everyone had eaten, all went out to see the holiday lights. Many cadets stopped and made s’mores, had hot chocolate, and walked and toured the Space Shuttle mounted on the modified Boeing 747 that carried the shuttle from Edwards AFB back to NASA launch facilities in Florida. The cadets were able to see a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX that had been in space. It was impressive to see the landing gear that had been designed for the rocket to come back and land upright on its small landing pad.
In the evening, there were two classes scheduled for everyone. The first class was the ‘Lunar Coding Challenge’. Cadets and guests were to program a small, tracked rover to identify a color and then follow a set course. If done correctly, the rover would drive over the colored paper and the lights would then change to that color. Many members were able to complete the challenge.
The next class was then to build a Space Center Houston Estes rocket. All the squadron members, even the commander, all made rockets. In total, 14 rockets were built. When done, everyone went outside and watched some of them launched. The tops of the parachute had been clipped to allow the rocket to land closer to where it took off from so as to not land in the highways. It was a night launch, and it was fun to watch. Everyone brought their rockets home, and the squadron has the engines for all the rockets so they can be fired at a squadron meeting at Camp Mabry.
Everyone then went in to watch the IMAX movie “Space Explorers: The ISS Experience“. This movie, filmed from the International Space Station, included four astronauts, one being from Canada. It was then time for bed. The unit slept in the room by the panels with the history of the space program from the 80’s – 90’s. It was fun ‘sleeping under the stars’.
The next morning, everyone ate breakfast and rode the tram to see the full size, totally restored, Saturn V rocket. This rocket is the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful rocket ever flown. Other rockets were also available for viewing. The tram then took us to the next building, the Astronaut Training Facility, where you could see multiple space projects being worked on. It was an extremely long and high building for them to accommodate space items of all sizes. Astronauts train within this full-size classroom in the heart of NASA Johnson Space Center. Since its inception in 1975, the Astronaut Training Facility has supported NASA’s missions.
PHOTO CAPTIONS: USCG Twelve cadets, three officers and three parents visited the USCG Air Station Houston and then went to spend the night at the NASA Space Center Houston Museum on November 11-12, 2023.
The days first event started at the air station, where LT Jordyn Tolefree, USCG, gave an excellent briefing and then showed several videos about the Coast Guard mission in Houston and the Gulf Coast, and then all were given a tour of the air station. All members got to see their three MH-65E "Dolphin" helicopters. Cadets got to sit in the cockpits, view the glass cockpit instruments and see the radar in the front nose cone on one helicopter that was being worked on. As an extra unplanned surprise, the unit just happened to launch one of their helicopters while the squadron was there. The MH-65E took off to do a fly over in Houston for a Veterans Day event. Cadets were also able to see several Army Apache Blackhawks next to the air station. Lt Col Eibe reminded them that our C/Capt Jenkins is currently a senior (1st Class) at the USCG Academy, so we have ties with our squadron and the USCG.
Then everyone left for the NASA Space Center Houston Museum and checked in. All members had lots of time to tour the whole facility and see all the exhibits and the history of the U. S space program since it started. Dinner time came and after everyone had eaten, all went out to see the holiday lights. Many cadets stopped and made s’mores, had hot chocolate, and walked and toured the Space Shuttle mounted on the modified Boeing 747 that carried the shuttle from Edwards AFB back to NASA launch facilities in Florida. The cadets were able to see a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX that had been in space. It was impressive to see the landing gear that had been designed for the rocket to come back and land upright on its small landing pad.
In the evening, there were two classes scheduled for everyone. The first class was the ‘Lunar Coding Challenge’. Cadets and guests were to program a small, tracked rover to identify a color and then follow a set course. If done correctly, the rover would drive over the colored paper and the lights would then change to that color. Many members were able to complete the challenge.
The next class was then to build a Space Center Houston Estes rocket. All the squadron members, even the commander, all made rockets. In total, 14 rockets were built. When done, everyone went outside and watched some of them launched. The tops of the parachute had been clipped to allow the rocket to land closer to where it took off from so as to not land in the highways. It was a night launch, and it was fun to watch. Everyone brought their rockets home, and the squadron has the engines for all the rockets so they can be fired at a squadron meeting at Camp Mabry.
Everyone then went in to watch the IMAX movie “Space Explorers: The ISS Experience“. This movie, filmed from the International Space Station, included four astronauts, one being from Canada. It was then time for bed. The unit slept in the room by the panels with the history of the space program from the 80’s – 90’s. It was fun ‘sleeping under the stars’.
The next morning, everyone ate breakfast and rode the tram to see the full size, totally restored, Saturn V rocket. This rocket is the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful rocket ever flown. Other rockets were also available for viewing. The tram then took us to the next building, the Astronaut Training Facility, where you could see multiple space projects being worked on. It was an extremely long and high building for them to accommodate space items of all sizes. Astronauts train within this full-size classroom in the heart of NASA Johnson Space Center. Since its inception in 1975, the Astronaut Training Facility has supported NASA’s missions.
PHOTO CAPTIONS: USCG Twelve cadets, three officers and three parents visited the USCG Air Station Houston and then went to spend the night at the NASA Space Center Houston Museum on November 11-12, 2023.
The days first event started at the air station, where LT Jordyn Tolefree, USCG, gave an excellent briefing and then showed several videos about the Coast Guard mission in Houston and the Gulf Coast, and then all were given a tour of the air station. All members got to see their three MH-65E "Dolphin" helicopters. Cadets got to sit in the cockpits, view the glass cockpit instruments and see the radar in the front nose cone on one helicopter that was being worked on. As an extra unplanned surprise, the unit just happened to launch one of their helicopters while the squadron was there. The MH-65E took off to do a fly over in Houston for a Veterans Day event. Cadets were also able to see several Army Apache Blackhawks next to the air station. Lt Col Eibe reminded them that our C/Capt Jenkins is currently a senior (1st Class) at the USCG Academy, so we have ties with our squadron and the USCG.
Then everyone left for the NASA Space Center Houston Museum and checked in. All members had lots of time to tour the whole facility and see all the exhibits and the history of the U. S space program since it started. Dinner time came and after everyone had eaten, all went out to see the holiday lights. Many cadets stopped and made s’mores, had hot chocolate, and walked and toured the Space Shuttle mounted on the modified Boeing 747 that carried the shuttle from Edwards AFB back to NASA launch facilities in Florida. The cadets were able to see a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX that had been in space. It was impressive to see the landing gear that had been designed for the rocket to come back and land upright on its small landing pad.
In the evening, there were two classes scheduled for everyone. The first class was the ‘Lunar Coding Challenge’. Cadets and guests were to program a small, tracked rover to identify a color and then follow a set course. If done correctly, the rover would drive over the colored paper and the lights would then change to that color. Many members were able to complete the challenge.
The next class was then to build a Space Center Houston Estes rocket. All the squadron members, even the commander, all made rockets. In total, 14 rockets were built. When done, everyone went outside and watched some of them launched. The tops of the parachute had been clipped to allow the rocket to land closer to where it took off from so as to not land in the highways. It was a night launch, and it was fun to watch. Everyone brought their rockets home, and the squadron has the engines for all the rockets so they can be fired at a squadron meeting at Camp Mabry.
Everyone then went in to watch the IMAX movie “Space Explorers: The ISS Experience“. This movie, filmed from the International Space Station, included four astronauts, one being from Canada. It was then time for bed. The unit slept in the room by the panels with the history of the space program from the 80’s – 90’s. It was fun ‘sleeping under the stars’.
The next morning, everyone ate breakfast and rode the tram to see the full size, totally restored, Saturn V rocket. This rocket is the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful rocket ever flown. Other rockets were also available for viewing. The tram then took us to the next building, the Astronaut Training Facility, where you could see multiple space projects being worked on. It was an extremely long and high building for them to accommodate space items of all sizes. Astronauts train within this full-size classroom in the heart of NASA Johnson Space Center. Since its inception in 1975, the Astronaut Training Facility has supported NASA’s missions.
PHOTO CAPTIONS: USCG Twelve cadets, three officers and three parents visited the USCG Air Station Houston and then went to spend the night at the NASA Space Center Houston Museum on November 11-12, 2023.
The days first event started at the air station, where LT Jordyn Tolefree, USCG, gave an excellent briefing and then showed several videos about the Coast Guard mission in Houston and the Gulf Coast, and then all were given a tour of the air station. All members got to see their three MH-65E "Dolphin" helicopters. Cadets got to sit in the cockpits, view the glass cockpit instruments and see the radar in the front nose cone on one helicopter that was being worked on. As an extra unplanned surprise, the unit just happened to launch one of their helicopters while the squadron was there. The MH-65E took off to do a fly over in Houston for a Veterans Day event. Cadets were also able to see several Army Apache Blackhawks next to the air station. Lt Col Eibe reminded them that our C/Capt Jenkins is currently a senior (1st Class) at the USCG Academy, so we have ties with our squadron and the USCG.
Then everyone left for the NASA Space Center Houston Museum and checked in. All members had lots of time to tour the whole facility and see all the exhibits and the history of the U. S space program since it started. Dinner time came and after everyone had eaten, all went out to see the holiday lights. Many cadets stopped and made s’mores, had hot chocolate, and walked and toured the Space Shuttle mounted on the modified Boeing 747 that carried the shuttle from Edwards AFB back to NASA launch facilities in Florida. The cadets were able to see a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX that had been in space. It was impressive to see the landing gear that had been designed for the rocket to come back and land upright on its small landing pad.
In the evening, there were two classes scheduled for everyone. The first class was the ‘Lunar Coding Challenge’. Cadets and guests were to program a small, tracked rover to identify a color and then follow a set course. If done correctly, the rover would drive over the colored paper and the lights would then change to that color. Many members were able to complete the challenge.
The next class was then to build a Space Center Houston Estes rocket. All the squadron members, even the commander, all made rockets. In total, 14 rockets were built. When done, everyone went outside and watched some of them launched. The tops of the parachute had been clipped to allow the rocket to land closer to where it took off from so as to not land in the highways. It was a night launch, and it was fun to watch. Everyone brought their rockets home, and the squadron has the engines for all the rockets so they can be fired at a squadron meeting at Camp Mabry.
Everyone then went in to watch the IMAX movie “Space Explorers: The ISS Experience“. This movie, filmed from the International Space Station, included four astronauts, one being from Canada. It was then time for bed. The unit slept in the room by the panels with the history of the space program from the 80’s – 90’s. It was fun ‘sleeping under the stars’.
The next morning, everyone ate breakfast and rode the tram to see the full size, totally restored, Saturn V rocket. This rocket is the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful rocket ever flown. Other rockets were also available for viewing. The tram then took us to the next building, the Astronaut Training Facility, where you could see multiple space projects being worked on. It was an extremely long and high building for them to accommodate space items of all sizes. Astronauts train within this full-size classroom in the heart of NASA Johnson Space Center. Since its inception in 1975, the Astronaut Training Facility has supported NASA’s missions.
PHOTO CAPTIONS: USCG Twelve cadets, three officers and three parents visited the USCG Air Station Houston and then went to spend the night at the NASA Space Center Houston Museum on November 11-12, 2023.
The days first event started at the air station, where LT Jordyn Tolefree, USCG, gave an excellent briefing and then showed several videos about the Coast Guard mission in Houston and the Gulf Coast, and then all were given a tour of the air station. All members got to see their three MH-65E "Dolphin" helicopters. Cadets got to sit in the cockpits, view the glass cockpit instruments and see the radar in the front nose cone on one helicopter that was being worked on. As an extra unplanned surprise, the unit just happened to launch one of their helicopters while the squadron was there. The MH-65E took off to do a fly over in Houston for a Veterans Day event. Cadets were also able to see several Army Apache Blackhawks next to the air station. Lt Col Eibe reminded them that our C/Capt Jenkins is currently a senior (1st Class) at the USCG Academy, so we have ties with our squadron and the USCG.
Then everyone left for the NASA Space Center Houston Museum and checked in. All members had lots of time to tour the whole facility and see all the exhibits and the history of the U. S space program since it started. Dinner time came and after everyone had eaten, all went out to see the holiday lights. Many cadets stopped and made s’mores, had hot chocolate, and walked and toured the Space Shuttle mounted on the modified Boeing 747 that carried the shuttle from Edwards AFB back to NASA launch facilities in Florida. The cadets were able to see a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX that had been in space. It was impressive to see the landing gear that had been designed for the rocket to come back and land upright on its small landing pad.
In the evening, there were two classes scheduled for everyone. The first class was the ‘Lunar Coding Challenge’. Cadets and guests were to program a small, tracked rover to identify a color and then follow a set course. If done correctly, the rover would drive over the colored paper and the lights would then change to that color. Many members were able to complete the challenge.
The next class was then to build a Space Center Houston Estes rocket. All the squadron members, even the commander, all made rockets. In total, 14 rockets were built. When done, everyone went outside and watched some of them launched. The tops of the parachute had been clipped to allow the rocket to land closer to where it took off from so as to not land in the highways. It was a night launch, and it was fun to watch. Everyone brought their rockets home, and the squadron has the engines for all the rockets so they can be fired at a squadron meeting at Camp Mabry.
Everyone then went in to watch the IMAX movie “Space Explorers: The ISS Experience“. This movie, filmed from the International Space Station, included four astronauts, one being from Canada. It was then time for bed. The unit slept in the room by the panels with the history of the space program from the 80’s – 90’s. It was fun ‘sleeping under the stars’.
The next morning, everyone ate breakfast and rode the tram to see the full size, totally restored, Saturn V rocket. This rocket is the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful rocket ever flown. Other rockets were also available for viewing. The tram then took us to the next building, the Astronaut Training Facility, where you could see multiple space projects being worked on. It was an extremely long and high building for them to accommodate space items of all sizes. Astronauts train within this full-size classroom in the heart of NASA Johnson Space Center. Since its inception in 1975, the Astronaut Training Facility has supported NASA’s missions.
PHOTO CAPTIONS: USCG Twelve cadets, three officers and three parents visited the USCG Air Station Houston and then went to spend the night at the NASA Space Center Houston Museum on November 11-12, 2023.
The days first event started at the air station, where LT Jordyn Tolefree, USCG, gave an excellent briefing and then showed several videos about the Coast Guard mission in Houston and the Gulf Coast, and then all were given a tour of the air station. All members got to see their three MH-65E "Dolphin" helicopters. Cadets got to sit in the cockpits, view the glass cockpit instruments and see the radar in the front nose cone on one helicopter that was being worked on. As an extra unplanned surprise, the unit just happened to launch one of their helicopters while the squadron was there. The MH-65E took off to do a fly over in Houston for a Veterans Day event. Cadets were also able to see several Army Apache Blackhawks next to the air station. Lt Col Eibe reminded them that our C/Capt Jenkins is currently a senior (1st Class) at the USCG Academy, so we have ties with our squadron and the USCG.
Then everyone left for the NASA Space Center Houston Museum and checked in. All members had lots of time to tour the whole facility and see all the exhibits and the history of the U. S space program since it started. Dinner time came and after everyone had eaten, all went out to see the holiday lights. Many cadets stopped and made s’mores, had hot chocolate, and walked and toured the Space Shuttle mounted on the modified Boeing 747 that carried the shuttle from Edwards AFB back to NASA launch facilities in Florida. The cadets were able to see a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX that had been in space. It was impressive to see the landing gear that had been designed for the rocket to come back and land upright on its small landing pad.
In the evening, there were two classes scheduled for everyone. The first class was the ‘Lunar Coding Challenge’. Cadets and guests were to program a small, tracked rover to identify a color and then follow a set course. If done correctly, the rover would drive over the colored paper and the lights would then change to that color. Many members were able to complete the challenge.
The next class was then to build a Space Center Houston Estes rocket. All the squadron members, even the commander, all made rockets. In total, 14 rockets were built. When done, everyone went outside and watched some of them launched. The tops of the parachute had been clipped to allow the rocket to land closer to where it took off from so as to not land in the highways. It was a night launch, and it was fun to watch. Everyone brought their rockets home, and the squadron has the engines for all the rockets so they can be fired at a squadron meeting at Camp Mabry.
Everyone then went in to watch the IMAX movie “Space Explorers: The ISS Experience“. This movie, filmed from the International Space Station, included four astronauts, one being from Canada. It was then time for bed. The unit slept in the room by the panels with the history of the space program from the 80’s – 90’s. It was fun ‘sleeping under the stars’.
The next morning, everyone ate breakfast and rode the tram to see the full size, totally restored, Saturn V rocket. This rocket is the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful rocket ever flown. Other rockets were also available for viewing. The tram then took us to the next building, the Astronaut Training Facility, where you could see multiple space projects being worked on. It was an extremely long and high building for them to accommodate space items of all sizes. Astronauts train within this full-size classroom in the heart of NASA Johnson Space Center. Since its inception in 1975, the Astronaut Training Facility has supported NASA’s missions.
About Civil Air Patrol
Established in 1941, Civil Air Patrol is the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force and as such is a member of its Total Force. In its auxiliary role, CAP operates a fleet of 555 single-engine aircraft and 2,250 small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) and performs about 90% of all search and rescue operations within the contiguous United States as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center. Often using innovative cellphone forensics and radar analysis software, CAP was credited by the AFRCC with saving 108 lives last year. CAP’s 58,000 members also perform homeland security, disaster relief, and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state, and local agencies. As a nonprofit organization, CAP plays a leading role in aerospace education using national academic standards-based STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education resources. Members also serve as mentors to 24,000 young people participating in CAP’s Cadet Programs.
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