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Many campers are situated in front of Exploratory Hall, throwing many colorful paper airplanes past the camera.
George Mason University

MSEC Summer Camp

Mason Space Exploration Center

Description
Have a question about summer camp? Contact us.
Phone Number
404-840-8361
Address

Attn: Mason Space Center

George Mason University 

4440 University Dr. Stop 3F3 

Planetary Hall 243 

Fairfax, VA 22030-4444

Ignite your child’s curiosity at the award-winning Mason Space Exploration Center Camp

The MSEC summer camp inspires the next generation to launch their curiosity and creativity about space. This summer, your child will dive into expert-guided fun and engaging hands-on STEM activities.

Several campers are assigning Ian instructions to write on the board. He appears to be struggling due to poor programming.

Ignite your child’s curiosity and passion for space at the Mason Space Exploration Center (MSEC) camp. Through expert-led, hands-on STEM activities, campers embark on an exciting journey of discovery, exploring topics such as:

  • Programming and electronics – Hands-on projects with Micro Bits and Arduino
  • Physics and astronomy – Motion, gravity, and creating a scale model of the Solar System
  • Observatory tours – Visit the George Mason Observatory (Fairfax) and explore the Geller Telescope, the second largest on the East Coast
  • Telescope exploration – Use the Solar Telescope and other instruments
  • Lab visits – Get an inside look at physics and engineering labs on both campuses
  • And much more.

New this year, we’re expanding to George Mason’s Science and Technology Campus in Manassas, VA, offering the same immersive curriculum with slight content variations between locations. Join us for a summer of adventure, discovery, and hands-on learning that will inspire the next generation of space explorers.

Register for the 2025 Mason Space Center Summer Camp today. Scroll to the bottom of the page and select 2025 Summer Camp Registration.

Register here via the TouchNet portal

Blast off to adventure

Why MSEC?

Our camp offers a dynamic learning experience where hands-on STEM activities spark curiosity and inspire a love for science. Through small teams and rotating roles, campers develop teamwork and leadership skills in a collaborative environment. Guided by expert instructors passionate about STEAM fields—from astronomy and paleontology to mathematics and data engineering—campers gain valuable knowledge while exploring a wide range of scientific disciplines.

A few campers proudly display their water rockets. One gives a thumbs up.

Grade levels

Base Camp is designed for rising fourth through sixth graders, while Advanced Camp is ideal for rising sixth through ninth graders. Both levels of camp are running concurrently on both campuses. For rising high schoolers, we recommend the Aspiring Scholars Summer Internship Program (ASSIP), which offers both in-person and remote options. Our observatory has previously partnered with ASSIP, providing opportunities across various scientific disciplines. Camp capacity is generally limited to 60 students per week at the Fairfax campus and 30 students per week at the SciTech campus.

Many Campers are gathered in the small satellite lab of the Volgenau School of Engineering.

Pricing

Our camp offers competitive pricing, with both locations at $500 per week, regardless of grade level. This includes up to $100 worth of take-home materials. A discounted rate is available for Week 1 due to an abridged schedule.

A Counselor and Camper are observing the Sun to spot the spots causing the recent aurora sightings. The camper has turned to the camera with a surpised look.

2025 Sessions & Availability

Base Camp Availability (Grades Rising 4 - 6):

Session #Start DateEnd DateFairfax Positions AvailableManassas Positions Available
Session 1June 16June 201712
Session 2June 23June 272112
Session 3July 7July 111712
Session 4July 14July 181812
Session 5July 21July 252015
Session 6July 28August 11815
Session 7August 4August 82015

Advanced Camp Availability (Grades Rising 6 - 9):

Session #Start DateEnd DateFairfax Positions AvailableManassas Positions Available
Session 1June 16June 202715
Session 2June 23June 272914
Session 3July 7July 112615
Session 4July 14July 182815
Session 5July 21July 25169
Session 6July 28August 11710
Session 7August 4August 81811

Summer 2025 Registration is open. Please use the TouchNet portal to confirm interest. We will continue to update the availability on a weekly basis. Please note that Session 1 is a 4-day week, as we will not be holding camp on the Juneteenth (June 19) Federal Holiday. Additionally, there is no camp the weeks of June 9 for staff training and of the July 4 (June 30 -- July 4) for the Independence Day Federal Holiday. 

We will continue to update the registration amount weekly.

What to expect

Each day is packed with thrilling STEM challenges and unexpected surprises, ensuring an educational and exhilarating experience. Our unique program encourages teamwork and leadership, as students are grouped into six teams of up to five, each taking on different mission roles. Both levels of camp run concurrently. For students attending multiple weeks, we recommend embracing a new mission role each week for a diverse and enriching experience.

Base camp

  • Monday: Countdown and launch.
  • Tuesday: Explore the mysteries of the Moon -- How can math help us solve problems
  • Wednesday: Discover the secrets of Mars -- How can we tell what happened on other planets?
  • Thursday: Investigate the icy moons of Jupiter -- What are moons really made of?
  • Friday: Unveil the wonders of Saturn’s icy moons, present research findings to scholars.

Advanced camp

  • Monday: Countdown and launch.
  • Tuesday: Investigate anomalies in local space using astronomical methods. 
  • Wednesday: Devise reliable and efficient long-distance communication methods.
  • Thursday: Design and Test Suborbital Delivery Vehicles.
  • Friday: Prepare for contact, present research findings to scholars. 

Camp schedule

  • Dropoff: 8:45 to 9:15 a.m.
  • Lunch Break: 12:00 to 1:00 pm. (Retail Dining available for Fairfax and SciTech)
  • Pickup: 3:45 to 4:15 p.m.

Here are a few fun memories from last year's season of camp.

Campers line up and count steps to play "Counselor Bot". Flight Director Aiden was programmed like a computer to walk across the room and sit in a chair.

Several campers line up for "Rover Calibration". They must program their counselor like a computer, and guide them across the room to sit down in a chair, developing programming skills in the process.

Several campers gather around a high-end computer in our Mission Control. They are having a lot of fun with math, it seems..

Several campers are gathered around a high-end computer. Our explorers use campus facilities to perform advanced calculations and use real-world hard skills like Microsoft Office Suite and C++.

Professor Parks watches along with a camper as their virtual rocket makes it into orbit.

Professor Parks and a camper share a moment of awe as their virtual rocket achieves orbit. The rocket simulation was a camper favorite!

A camper's virtual spaceplane successfully takes off.

In the same rocket simulator as the last image, one camper has turned his rocket sideways and turned it into a space plane.

A camper's virtual rocket has catastrophically failed on the launchpad. Next time, he will point the rocket up instead of down.

An explorer's first attempt a virtual rocket is not always their most successful -- so were NASA's first attempts at space travel. In rocket science, failure is a part of the standard developmental process (even explosively so).

A camper shows of their water rocket. Flight Director Apoorva is seen in the background happily aproving.

Campers constructed (and decorated!) water bottle rockets for launch. We partially used reused and recycled construction materials.

Flight Director Apoorva and a camper successfully launch a water rocket. It appears Apoorva is getting a faceful of rocket exhaust!

Campers launched their water rockets on the Observatory grounds. They additionally performed data analysis on their results to determine the relation between launch pressure and maximum height. Getting sprayed is a small price to pay for the experimental data.

A Camper shows off the result of his Arduino experiment.

Campers use the "30 Days Lost in Space" Arduino Kit by Inventr.io. Registration for the online course can be done for free through Inventr.io's site.

Two campers follow the video modules of Inventr.io, one of our partners this year.

Two campers watching the video modules of the Inventr.io "30 Days Lost in Space" Arduino Kit. Although our camp only covers the first two days, your camper takes home materials and has free access to the remaining four weeks' worth of content. The final day even involves programming an Arduino Video Game!

Flight Director Gabby is seen explaining the contents of a graph to three campers. All four individuals are looking at a computer screen showing a zoomed-in map of Mars.

Campers explore the surface of Mars using NASA GIS Data. They find suitable landing sites by looking at the elevation data, and use some "messy math" to find landing ETA.

Two campers show off their orbital reentry gliders, ready for testing.

Two campers show off their Orbital Reentry Gliders. Campers tested their prototypes from the roof of Research Hall and analyzed experimental data in Office Suite to find the optimal wing shapes.

Several campers have gathered around a whiteboard, proud to show the photographer their work.

Several campers pose around a whiteboard. Campers will use messy math to solve problems related to their exploration. Here, they were very eager to show their results.

Two campers high five after a successful mission for the day.

A resounding success for our mission specialists' rocket launch!

Many Campers are gathered in the small satellite lab of the Volgenau School of Engineering.
A few campers proudly display their water rockets. One gives a thumbs up.
Several campers are assigning Ian instructions to write on the board. He appears to be struggling due to poor programming.
A camper appears horrified that Ian has begun writing the wrong way around, facing away from the board..
Many campers are gathered in a lecture hall. They are all wearing matching T-shirts. Two in front are doing jazz hands!
Exploratory Hall at George Mason University Fairfax Campus
Discovery hall, SciTech campus

* The programs and services offered by George Mason University are open to all who seek them. George Mason does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnic national origin (including shared ancestry and/or ethnic characteristics), sex, disability, military status (including veteran status), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, pregnancy status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. After an initial review of its policies and practices, the university affirms its commitment to meet all federal mandates as articulated in federal law, as well as recent executive orders and federal agency directives.