Cosmic Camp-In: Mars Lander Challenge
Schedule
Sat, 13 Jun, 2026 at 05:15 pm to Sun, 14 Jun, 2026 at 08:30 am
UTC-07:00Location
10000 Skyline Blvd, Oakland, CA, United States, California 94619 | Oakland, CA
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$115 per ticket, Members get $20 off per ticket$90 Moonlight Mission – Guests can attend the evening programming only (without spending the night) with this lower cost ticket
Spend the night under the stars at the Cosmic Camp-In at Chabot Space & Science Center! Designed for families, scouts, and curious explorers, this unforgettable overnight adventure blends hands-on science, live astronomy, and classic Camp-in fun.
This event is available for both individual public tickets and group reservations.
This event is designed for families and groups with children aged 9-14.
Public guests: Purchase tickets using the registration link.
Groups (scouts, schools, community organizations): Reserve your space by completing the group reservation form here.
Arrival & Check-In
Check-in begins at 5:15 PM at the Observatory located at the rear of the Center. Please park in the front parking structure and bring all overnight gear with you to the rear check-in location. We recommend packing lightly, as you will carry your items.
Program begins promptly at 5:50 PM
Event concludes at 8:30 AM the following morning.
Guests may not enter the Center prior to the 5:15 PM check-in time.
Featured Workshop: Mars Lander Challenge
Designed for Grades 4-8
Perseverance, NASA’s most recent Mars rover, safely landed on the Red Planet in 2021. How do NASA engineers ensure a safe landing for Mars rovers? What might future missions to Mars look like? In this highly interactive program, attendees build their own Mars lander, to keep rovers safe on their journey to the Martian surface. Your young engineers will receive a briefing on past Mars rover designs and will learn about the challenges of landing scientific instruments on Mars. Then, participants are challenged to design a Mars lander, to test their design, and to test it twice, to see if they can successfully land expensive equipment on the Red Planet. In the evening, if weather permits, meet Chabot astronomers and view planets and stars in our night sky through telescopes in our historical observatories.
Siblings ages 4+ are welcome with a ticket and can participate in many evening activities.
The Mars Lander Challenge workshop is designed for grades 4–8 and introduces engineering concepts typically explored in upper elementary school science. Campers under the age of 9 may not be able to participate in the workshop.
Your Cosmic Camp-In Includes:
Catered hot dinner provided by La Casa de Maria (subject to change)
Interactive exhibit exploration and themed scavenger hunt
A specialized science workshop (Our Solar System)
Live Zeiss Planetarium show
1 Badge (Scout badge or Chabot mission patch)
Telescope viewing (weather permitting)
Continental breakfast
To ensure the safety of all guests, adults who purchase tickets without a child will not be granted entry and will not receive a refund. Adults must be accompanied by a child, children must be accompanied by an adult. This policy is strictly enforced for all Camp-In events.
Prepare for Your Overnight Adventure
Please review our Survival Guide prior to arrival for packing tips, expectations, and event details.
Moonlight Mission: Evening-Only Tickets
Not quite ready to Camp-in? Join us just for the best of the evening! The Moonlight Mission: Evening-Only ticket is perfect for guests who want to experience the excitement of the night without staying overnight.
Arrive at check-in and enjoy the full lineup of evening programming, including the hands-on workshop, live Zeiss Planetarium show, dinner, scavenger hunt, and telescope viewing (weather permitting). When Observatory telescope viewings begin, you’re welcome to head home after visiting the scopes if “camping in” isn’t for you.
Purchase a Moonlight Mission: Evening-Only Ticket to join the adventure, just for the night.
Please note: This ticket does not include the commemorative Chabot badge, morning Planetarium show, additional exhibit exploration time, or continental breakfast.
We can’t wait to explore the Solar System with you!
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Where is it happening?
10000 Skyline Blvd, Oakland, CA, United States, California 94619Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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