Having run since 2016, the Y Canberra’s Space Squad camp program provides a unique and exciting opportunity for young people to explore all things space.
It focuses on building their STEM skills and knowledge and allows them to see the opportunities that await them in Australia’s emerging space sector.
Junior, youth and senior camps are available to students from years 2 to 12 across Australia each school holidays, when COVID restrictions permit.
In the past five years, 24 camps have launched with 692 cadets going through the program.
An Air & Space Female Cadet Camp for girls aged 15-18 that was scheduled to run in early July has been postponed, with new dates to be announced.
As you could imagine, being immersed in the stars, surrounding yourself with views of the galaxy, learning how to build rockets or code rovers while making friends with likeminded space-lovers, consistently leaves their cadets over the moon.
The Y’s Space Squad manager and flight director, Matthew Balken, told Canberra Daily his mission is to inspire children to “love learning” and pursue STEM subjects.
“Some students feel isolated or bullied, and this allows them to feel a part of their tribe and their community to continue their learning of space and STEM,” he said.
With a five-day program packed with an array of space and STEM related activities and field trips, it’s easy to see why the Space Squad camps have had cadets filing in from across Australia.
Each day of the camp is different, with the Space Squad tackling anything from engineering, rocketry, astronomy, drones, virtual reality, coding and more, while providing participats the opportunity to come together and form friendships.
“When they come here, it really gives them the awareness that there are others just like me who love this and pursue their passion to go into a STEM career or to dream big and aim to be an astronaut,” Matt said.
Some more practical activities cadets undertake see them assemble in groups and build a telescop, and custom solid fuel rockets. To date, the Space Squad camp program has launched 255 rockets!
“The idea of a custom rocket, they’ll build it through the software and the best part of that is they can really make mistakes together and work through them, and that goes right through to launch,” Matt said.
“It really takes away the pass/fail and it’s just about the experience.”
Over the course of the five days, the squad also go on tour to see Canberra’s wide array of space-related attractions and industry.
The cadets will visit Mt Stromlo, Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex at Tidbinbilla, universities, local businesses in specialised areas relating to the space industry and, of course, Questacon.
“Canberra has so many incredible talents and venues,” Matt said, “and everything is within 20 or 30 minutes of each other.
“So, the access of sharing that knowledge and introducing it is so much easier here.”
Numerous supporters have helped propel the Space Squad camps over the years, including Boeing Australia, RAAF and Questacon, to name a few.
Boeing Australia’s community program manager Jo Barron said they are “over the moon” to be supporting the Space Squad program.
“We’re always looking to inspire and excite the next generation of astronauts, engineers and space enthusiasts,” she said.
“We hope that Space Squad’s program encourages all of the participants to continue on their path to rewarding careers in aerospace.”
Additionally, Questacon has been a proud supporter of the Space Squad program since 2016. Their Mars and Australia in Spaceexhibitions are open now, with pre-bookings essential.
Visit ymcacanberra.org.au/youth/space-squad for details about future camps.
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