Alex Higgins Memorial Space Camp Scholarship

A young boy smiling while wearing a NASA space suit with patches and a helmet, seated in a chair at the McAulliffe-Shepard Discovery Center.

Calling all NH students ages 9-17!

Train to be an astronaut, an airplane pilot, or a robotics engineer in a five-day immersive, intensive, educational, and fun camp at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center! Since 2001, more than 80 New Hampshire children and teens have traveled to U.S. Space Camp & Rocket Center, in Huntsville, AL, for a week of simulated astronaut or pilot training, thanks to the Alex Higgins Memorial Space Camp Scholarship. And three more will get to go in 2027! Would you like to be one of them?

The Alex Higgins Memorial Space Camp Scholarship was founded in 2000 in Memory of Alex Higgins of Bedford, NH, who died in March 1999 from injuries that resulted from a backyard accident shortly before his 13th birthday. Alex was a wonderful young man who loved life and was filled with good will toward all he met.

In 1994, he attended U.S. Space Camp. The Higgins Family and McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center created the scholarship to give deserving NH youths the same potentially life-changing opportunity that Alex had: a week at Space Camp.

Stay in touch: Alex Higgins Memorial Space Camp Scholarship Facebook Group

The 2027 application window opens on September 19th, 2026.

Four people standing in front of space-themed posters, including an astronaut in a white spacesuit with NASA patches, a young man in a dress shirt and tie, a young boy in a black shirt, and a woman in a blue NASA jacket, smiling at the camera.

2026 Alex Higgins Memorial Space Camp Scholarship Awardees pictured at AerospaceFest 2025 with ret. NASA Astronaut and Educator, Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger.

Recommendation Letters

Each Alex Higgins Memorial Space Camp Scholarship applicant should be prepared to seek letters of recommendation from two non-relatives of their choice (e.g., teachers, counselors, or Boy/Girl Scout leaders).

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that completed recommendations (with the cover letter form) are submitted to the Discovery Center by the application deadline.

Letters of recommendation can be submitted directly via email to Discovery Center's Visitor Service Coordinator, Kelly Thompson at kthompson@starhop.com or mailed to:

McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center

Attn: 2027 Alex Higgins Memorial Space Camp Scholarship

2 Institute Drive

Concord, NH 03301

Recommendation Cover Letter Form

Ships & Spacecrafts Exhibit Christa McAuliffe & Alan B. Shepard Discovery Center

Policies

AI Policy: The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center does not permit the use of AI (artificial intelligence) in the research, preparation, or creation of any application materials or submissions. Any applications found to be using any AI tools in their creation will be disqualified.