Heavy spring rains and flooding on Saturday, April 18, did not prevent more than 250 Boys Scouts, Webelos Cub Scouts, and adult volunteers from traveling across the State of Texas to participate in a one-night Camp-in at Space Center Houston, the official visitors’ center of the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. 

Camp-in attendees included Richardson Troop 1191 Boy Scouts, adult volunteers, and guests from Richardson Cub Scout Packs 727, Trinity Fellowship Church, and 898, Jess Harben Elementary School.

Home of the NASA astronaut corps, Johnson Space Center is responsible for training U.S. astronauts as well as international space-station crew members from other countries.  Space-shuttle missions and space-station activities are directed from the center’s Mission Control.

Space Exploration Merit Badge

Under the guidance of Camp-in staff, the Scouts were divided into small groups to complete Space Exploration Merit Badge requirements.  They built and launched paper rockets, designed and built a Martian base, and constructed a space station.

They also viewed the large-screen film, “On Human Destiny,” and learned about the history of America’s manned space-flight program in the Astronaut and Starship galleries.  There, they saw close-up Astronaut Judy Resnik's T-38 flight suit, Gordon Cooper’s "Faith 7" Mercury capsule, Pete Conrad and Gordon Cooper’s Gemini V spacecraft, the Apollo 17 Command Module, and the Apollo-Soyuz trainer.

By midnight, participants spread out their sleeping bags on the floor of Starship Gallery, amidst reminders of America’s space program, and attempted to sleep.

Space Center Tour

Sunday morning, the Troop 1191 group took a behind-the-scenes tram tour of the Johnson Space Center.  Stops included the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility and the current Mission Control Center. 

The tour concluded with a visit to Rocket Park, which showcases a Saturn V launch vehicle.  Used to send American astronauts to the moon, the Saturn V, with the Apollo spacecraft attached, was 363 feet long and weighed more than six million pounds.  Both Troop 1191 Committee member John Wilson Sr. and his older son, John Wilson Jr., were most impressed by the Saturn V.  “I had never seen one up-close, but have been hearing about them since junior high,” said Wilson Sr.

Troop 1191 is chartered by American Legion Post 638 and meets on most Monday nights during the academic year in the cafeteria of the RISD Jess Harben Elementary School, at South Glenville Drive and Spring Valley Road.

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Contributors

Angie Jensen is Troop 1191 Committee chair.  Jeff Sneed is Richardson Troop 1191 Scoutmaster and North Trail District Program chair.