6/14-16: Space Camp Hall of Fame, 30th celebration

Space Camp will celebrate its 30th anniversary during a weekend of activities June 14-16, 2012 at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

Among the highlights of the celebration will be the 2012 Space Camp Hall of Fame induction ceremony and dinner. This year's inductees were revealed this week during two surprise announcement.

On Wednesday, astronaut Don Pettit called down (mp3) from the International Space Station to congratulate ISS flight director (Carbon Flight) Ed Van Cise and new ISS science communications director Liz Warren (cS: lewarren) on their selection for the Hall of Fame.

And then on Friday morning, live on The Weather Channel, Al Roker surprised his "Wake up with Al" co-host Stephanie Abrams and veteran space shuttle commander Hoot Gibson with the news they were being inducted as well. Gibson thought he was on the show (via a live broadcast from Huntsville with past Hall of Fame honorees) to help announce Abrams.

All four will be inducted during a ceremony at the Davidson Center for Space Exploration on Friday, June 15. The dinner will feature a meal prepared by "Top Chef" Season 3 runner-up Dave Levitski and a silent auction to benefit the Space Camp scholarship fund.

The weekend's activities also include screenings of "Space Camp" the movie and "The Dream is Alive" as well as a "fashion show" with retro Space Camp uniforms and awards for the best retro-dressed attendee.