What does it take to get into space? A great place to start that journey is tons and tons of training. For NASA astronauts, training can come in a variety of different ways. The Neutral Buoyancy lab in Austin, Texas is one of the best training facilities in the country. At the Neutral Bouyancy lab astronauts suit up and SCUBA dive to complete mock missions just as they would if they were in outer space. This training is possible because the buoyancy force of water simulates the weightless effect of being in orbit. Click the link below for additional information on the Johnson Space Center’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/home/index.html#.U9KYqPldVzo

Here at Astrocamp, we have created our own Astronaut training program that mimics the one done at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab. Students get trained in SCUBA diving procedures and safety, then they eventually complete a mock mission to repair a broken satellite. The neutral buoyancy for the water also makes it easy to bust some funky moves in what we like to call, the turtle dance!

Feature Image Provided By: Hodel Family