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The Virginia Space Flight Academy is one of six projects initiated by the Eastern Shore Regional Partnership to stimulate economic development on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Each of the projects attempts to take advantage of one or more of the Shore's existing unique assets. In the case of the Space Flight Academy, the Partnership saw an opportunity to leverage the high-tech activities being conducted on the Shore by NASA, the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority (VCSFA ), the Navy and NOAA.

Currently, the Academy is offering a week-long residential summer camp for students interested in having fun while learning about the science and engineering of rockets, space flight and space science. We explore, not only astronaut training, but expand into the science and engineering of space travel, weather, robotics, telemetry etc. VSFA began the summer of 1998. Due to the success of pilot camps in 1998 and 1999, the program has grown to five camps being scheduled for the summer of 2001. Additional camps may be added this year if the response warrants. The camps are targeted for students in the middle school to junior high age range of 12-16.

The Academy is held at NASA Wallops Flight Facility, an operational NASA launch range, located on Virginia's Eastern Shore. VSFA is supported by the Eastern Shore Regional Partnership, the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority, NASA Wallops Flight Facility, U.S. Navy Surface Combat Center, NOAA Command and Data Acquisition Station, the Marine Science Consortium, the Eastern Shore Community College and others including the Eastern Shore and Chincoteague Chambers of Commerce.

Virginia Space Flight Academy's Mission Statement states in part "The VSFA is dedicated to enhancing the scientific educational opportunities for the Mid-Atlantic region's youth. It recognizes that space exploration continues to be an endeavor that captures the imaginations of many children and provides an opportunity to explore scientific and engineering concepts in an exciting, applied context. In the course of fulfilling its educational mission, the VSFA also seeks to become a stable source of employment and income for the local economy and to enhance the image of Virginia's Eastern Shore as a tourist attraction where technology and ecology not only coexist but compliment each other."

Robert W. Marshall
Executive Director

7300 Kearsage Circle - Wallops Island, VA 23337 - Toll Free:866-757-7223 www.vaspace.org/academy

Robert W. Marshall, Executive Director - Local:757-824-6207 Email:spaceacademy@intercom.net
Thomas H. Collins, Ph. D, Director of Education Operations - Local:757-888-2055 Email:toncol89@bigfoot.com