Virginia Space Flight Academy

09/07/2025

Kenji and Geoff in action launching seltzer rockets and promoting VASFA at the National Book Festival's STEM District, put on by the Library of Congress. There was a line of future scientists and engineers all day! The day was highlighted with the team's presentation titled "Rocket Science Meets Storytelling".

What happens when rocket science and storytelling collide? The program explored how meaningful stories can emerge from data — and how those narratives help build data literacy. Participants learned how rocket data can be transformed into engaging narratives that deepen understanding and spark curiosity in learners of all ages.

08/27/2025

Northern Virginia Magazine’s Best Summer Camps poll is now open until Friday, August 29 at 11:59 p.m.! We need your votes!
https://northernvirginiamag.com/best-summer-camps-readers-poll/

08/18/2025

And one of those Scientific Ballon missions will be carrying out advanced campers projects up into the stratosphere!

Three rockets? Hold my balloon. 🎈

Our balloon teams are in New Mexico preparing to launch seven scientific balloons for their fall campaign. The missions will carry scientific experiments and technology demonstrations to suborbital space.

08/15/2025

Our VASFA STEM Education crew had a fantastic time working with the Newport News Public Schools Elevate STEAM Camp educators and students, as well as the William & Mary preservice educators, this summer with Camp ASCEND. Designing and helping implement this rigorous STEM programming was a blast! We are excited to work together this fall and introduce our STEM Academy to their students!

08/13/2025

Update: Due to unfavorable weather conditions RB-10 will not launch tomorrow, but possibly over the weekend. Stay tuned for updates.

📢 LAUNCH ALERT!

Our advanced Launch Lab–Cubes in Space™ campers' work will potentially see flight tomorrow! 🎈From the Cubes in Space founder:

Our payload arrived at NASA's Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility - Ft. Sumner, New Mexico launch location. There was a weather briefing on Monday, and it looks like on Thursday, there will be a launch attempt for RB-10 flying on NASA's Salter Test Flight Mission!

Real-time location of NASA's Salter Test Flight Mission 752N: https://towerfts.csbf.nasa.gov/Maps/ConvGps752N.htm

Fort Sumner Operations - video and real-time weather:
https://towerfts.csbf.nasa.gov/

NASA CSBF Operations Channel (likely where you will view inflation video prior to launch: https://video.ibm.com/channel/nasa-csbf-downrange-operations

Congratulations to all who are flying on the RB-10 mission!

07/30/2025

Today at Advanced Aerospace, campers toured Airfield Operations and Scientific Balloons office. Then it was off to Wallops Island for a look at ’s commercial launchpads and then a stop at the ’s WCDAS.

In academics, campers continued their Payload Challenge, learned more about rocket stability, competed to see who can get the best stats in Open Rocket simulations, and worked on coding their drones with a skills challenge!

Campers wrapped the day by watching a NASA documentary. Tuesdays might be busy, but they're also fun!

07/29/2025

Monday was our first full day of advanced aerospace camp! The morning featured a tour of Sounding Rocket Fabrication and Testing facility. This tour stop really showcased the exciting and challenging work being done here at Wallops.

In addition to the tours, campers began learning about the engineering challenge for this week: planning a rocket payload mission. They will learn how to propose a rocketry mission in a way that stays within a realistic and reasonable budget. Later in the week, campers will present their completed mission design and budget to a room of investors (counselors and their fellow campers). Campers were also introduced to our drone challenge of the week: coding an autonomous drone to perform a series of tasks in an obstacle course. Stay tuned for more about the work they are doing!

Monday nights are when our campers take to the skies, literally. Our campers tackle the aerial adventure park at . Advanced campers always have a bit of extra fun since most attendees have taken the plunge before. Check out the smiles and poses as they navigate the complex challenges on the way to the Pony Plunge!

07/23/2025

Tuesday was a fun and full day of academics and tours at Launch Lab–™ camp. Campers worked on engineering challenges and presented their proposed missions in groups. These communication skills will be highly beneficial to them in their future endeavors as they strive to improve life on Earth and beyond.

They had a busy day touring , visiting Airfield Operations, where the ’s VAW-120 detachment was here for Field Carrier Landing Practice. Then it was off to Wallops Island (proper) and the ’s commercial launchpads. And finally, a stop at the ’s WCDAS.

Campers wrapped the day by watching a NASA documentary. It was a great day at Advanced Space Adventure Camp!

07/23/2025

Tuesday was a fun and full day of academics and tours at Launch Lab–Cubes In Space™ camp. Campers worked on engineering challenges and presented their proposed missions in groups. These communication skills will be highly beneficial to them in their future endeavors as they strive to improve life on Earth and beyond.

They had a busy day touring NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, visiting Airfield Operations, where the U.S. Navy's VAW-120 detachment was here for Field Carrier Landing Practice. Then it was off to Wallops Island (proper) and the Virginia Spaceport Authority's commercial launchpads. And finally, a stop at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s WCDAS.

Campers wrapped the day by watching a NASA documentary. It was a great day at Advanced Space Adventure Camp!

07/23/2025

Monday nights at Space Adventure Camp are when our campers take to the skies, literally. Our campers tackle the aerial adventure park at . Advanced camp weeks always have a bit of extra fun since most attendees have taken the plunge before. Check out the smiles and poses as they navigate the complex challenges on the way to the Pony Plunge!

07/23/2025

Monday nights at Space Adventure Camp are when our campers take to the skies, literally. Our campers tackle the aerial adventure park at Iron Pony Adventure Park. Advanced camp weeks always have a bit of extra fun since most attendees have taken the plunge before. Check out the smiles and poses as they navigate the complex challenges on the way to the Pony Plunge!

07/22/2025

Monday was our first full day of our newest advanced camp: Launch Lab – Cubes In Space™. Our female counselors led their campers in some yoga-inspired stretches to get their minds and bodies activated for the day ahead. The morning featured two tours of NASA's Wallops Flight Facility Sounding Rocket Fabrication and Testing facility, as well as the Range Control Center. These two tour stops really showcase the exciting and challenging work being done here at Wallops.

In addition to the tours, campers started learning about the engineering challenge for this week: planning and implementing a space-based mission. They will learn how to propose a project in a way that meets the rigorous standards NASA uses to vet the missions it supports. They will also work on individualized onboard nanocomputers that will become payloads on an upcoming NASA scientific balloon mission. Stay tuned for more about the work they are doing.