MSEC Space Saturdays
Opportunities for Adventure and Learning at the Mason Space Exploration Center
Join us for Space Saturdays, a two-hour workshop designed to ignite your child’s passion for space and science. Each session offers a unique, hands-on experience that includes activities such as:
- Explore one of the largest on-campus observatories on the East Coast, where your child will get a close-up look at cutting-edge space research.
- Observing the Sun (with proper safety measures, of course) and its fascinating features using a state-of-the-art solar telescope.
- Creating a scale model of the Solar System. Engage in an interactive activity where your child will create their very own scale model of the Solar System, learning about the vast distances and sizes of planets.
- ...and more surprises!
New activities are on the horizon, making Space Saturday a must-attend event for young space enthusiasts. Don’t miss this opportunity to combine education with excitement—register now for Space Saturday and watch your child’s curiosity about the cosmos take flight.
Registration for Space Saturday is now open!
Spend your weekend with MSEC!
Registration:
Registrations for Space Saturday currently cost $30 per camper per block. Each Solar Saturday will be comprised of two Blocks, one AM Block from 10:00 AM to noon for Grades 4 -- 6 and one PM block from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM for Grades 6-8. It is advised to not sign up for both blocks in one day, as activities will likely be similar between both sessions. Registration for all MSEC events is completed via the TouchNet Portal; please contact camp administration if you encounter any issues with the process.
Location:
Pickup and Dropoff will be held at Exploratory Hall. Recommended Parking is within the Shenendoah Parking Deck or Lot K. Follow instruction from both the MSEC FAQ and all materials given by MSEC Staff prior to the event date.
Grade Levels:
The recommended grade levels for this activity are 4 -- 8. Registrants currently enrolled Grades 4 -- 6 will be considered the "Junior Group" and registrants currently enrolled within Grades 6 -- 8 will be considered for the "Senior Group".
2025 Sessions and Availability
February
| Date | Camper Positions Available (AM) | Camper Positions Available (PM) |
| February 8 | Reserved | -- |
| February 15 | -- | -- |
| February 22 | -- | Reserved |
March
Note: There is no Space Saturday the week of March 10th, George Mason University will be closed for Spring Break.
| Date | Camper Positions Available (AM) | Camper Positions Available (PM) |
| March 1 | 15 | Reserved |
| March 8 | Reserved | 15 |
| March 22 | 15 | 15 |
| March 29 | 15 | 12 |
Availability of Spring Sessions of Space Saturdays will continue to be updated biweekly. Additionally, sessions may also be available in April, interest pending.
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Camp Location
- Exploratory Hall 1004
10431 Rivanna River Way, Fairfax, VA 22030
- Directions to Exploratory Hall
Frequently Asked Questions
I did not receive email confirmation from TouchNet. What can I do?
We have been well aware of the issues many camp parents have been facing with the TouchNet marketplace system in recent weeks. Camp administration and the Mason Marketplace owners have been working together to investigate the cause of issue since February. Although an official fix has not been issued, our experimentation suggests that it is a result of using a Gmail account to sign up for registration. Use a non-Gmail email address to register, if possible, and contact camp administration for your email confirmation if not possible.
⚠ UPDATE: ⚠ We have heard from the support team of TouchNet. Due to the inner machinations of the TouchNet marketplace, the email confirmations are marked as "Undeliverable" when using certain major email hosts, includingGmail.com. TouchNet, Mason Marketplace, and GMU IT are working together to fix this critical error.