Summer Camps

SPEND YOUR SUMMER WITH PARI AND REACH YOUR NEXT FRONTIER.

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PARI’s summer STEM and space exploration, and astronomy camp programming is designed to inspire your young scientist’s curiosity, passion, and confidence to discover something extraordinary. We give campers experiences that encourage deeper thinking and problem solving skills while finding opportunities for comradery, adventure, and fun in the incredible Pisgah Forest region.

Learn about scholarships and new camps as soon as they become available!

PARI has a camp for every student scientist:

Mission Control

Engineering Challenge Based Camps

Our Mission Control camps provide simulated missions that cover the many topics and skills necessary for a successful exploration of world beyond our own. We’ll use the same kinds of processes that NASA, SpaceX and others use in developing and conducting journeys into space.

These missions teach teamwork and STEM principles while giving campers fun and exciting experiences. The camp is an immersive journey amidst our historic campus which played a critical role in the first space race, and will help poise your camper for a role in the next.

Teams will research real technologies and techniques to build and launch a spacecraft, set science and research goals, and ensure everything needed is sent along. They will also need to choose a crew and care for their health and well-being, perform outreach and gain public support, and navigate funding and political challenges.

Above & Beyond

Research Based Camps

PARI’s research based camps are aimed at the camper who wants to experience what its like to be a researcher in astronomy, astrophysics, and astrobiology. Scientists and researchers with careers in space science lead this academically challenging curriculum that has been refined for nearly two decades.

Camps begin with an intense first few days of introductions to the instruments, science, and math needed to conduct research. They’ll be guided through choosing a research goal from the menu investigations we believe they can successfully conduct with radio and optical telescopes, and vast archives, provided by PARI and its partners.

The importance of both individual and team based work is emphasized while campers are guided through the research process. They’ll learn to share their progress and conclusions in the same ways expected in journals and at astronomical conferences.

PARI Summer Camps

Mission Control: Martian Frontier

-Do you have what it takes to plan a mission to another planet?

Gain confidence, learn space science, and strive to make it to a new world in this combination role-play—academic camp. The wide variety of topics makes this camp a good fit for a range of interests. You’ll tackle challenges in space craft and habitat design, astronaut health and well-being, and capturing public interest while swaying others to support your plan.

This camp is designed for middle and high school aged campers.

Above & Beyond

-Models the research process followed by professionals in space science!

Our signature and most academically intensive camp explores the universe through astronomy, physics, and astrobiology. Use real research-grade instruments and data to investigate objects like super-nova remnants and distant star clusters, or map the Milky Way. One small step as a space explorer, one giant step in launching your career in space.

This camp is designed for high school aged campers.

3D Planets - PARI Edition
Lunar and Martian Geography, 3D Modeling & Printing

What is the surface of other planets like? How do we find out and turn that information into a three dimensional model? Can we accurately recreate other places in the solar system with a 3D printer in a way that anyone can see and touch and gain an understanding of places beyond Earth? Campers will investigate these questions and delve into the processes of making science accessible to all. The PARI edition will feature a field trip to a unique mountain location to experience the beauty of the Land of Waterfalls.

This camp is available in versions for either middle school or high school aged campers.

Clemson & PARI Summer Camps

3D Planets - Clemson Edition
Lunar and Martian Geography, 3D Modeling & Printing

The Clemson Edition of this camp will feature a guest speaker from Clemson University who will engage campers with the science and research going on there. Campers will also hike to a unique mountain location in the Land of Waterfalls.

This camp is designed for middle school aged campers.

Advanced 3D Planets - Clemson Edition
Lunar and Martian Geography, 3D Modeling & Printing

The advanced version of this camp is designed for high school aged campers and will go deeper into the math behind how the data is modeled in the computer. We will also learn to represent 3D models with code.

The Clemson Edition of this camp will feature a field trip to Clemson University where students experience the science and research going on there.

This camp is designed for high school aged campers.

Learn more about camps:

Register for one of PARI’s summer STEM and space exploration camp programs.

Camp Refund Policy

No refunds will be given.

If a camper cannot attend due to a positive COVID19 test and/or is quarantining in accordance with current CDC recommendations, a credit, or transfer to a later camp, can be arranged. Proof of a positive test administered by a medical professional will be required.

If a camper is unable to attend for any other reason we must receive notification at least 14 days prior to the start of their camp session. We will attempt to transfer to another session if capacity allows. If this is not possible a credit to be used for a later camp will be issued.