Lovely account of the experience. I am officially stark raving envious. And I wonder why I have never come across the word “nerdvana” before. What a wonderful word.

I will continue to do space anthropology as part of the dream, even though I’ve received some teasing myself.

The week culminated in the 24-hour mission simulation (EDM), which included everything from the traditional steak-and-eggs breakfast to wearing (cumbersome, very cool) analog pressure suits for takeoff and landing.

I was assigned the position of ISS Commander for the EDM, which meant I was in charge of turning on the lights and stocking the fridge. Sounds easy from a college-dorm perspective, but when “turning on the lights” involves going EVA to unjam the photovoltaic array (with Elaine Chu and the patient guidance of “Braids” Lafleur at Mission Control, both Ankle-Biters) and “stocking the fridge” means coordinating an orderly transfer of tons of essential supplies while the orbiter is on fire, the job gets a bit more active.

Things had just settled down and we were getting to do some science when the station started leaking liquid waste. If you’ve never tried to clean up pee in a weightless environment with a ShopVac, let me tell you it gets everywhere. Meanwhile, it was up to Mission Control (via “Flash” Kirtley, another Ankle-Biter) to diagnose the problem and tell us how to fix it. We got the first wave of it cleaned up just as the second hit, and the resulting mess ended up electrocuting me and knocking me temporarily unconscious while the rest of the station crew fought contamination while treating wounded from the orbiter.

At some point during all this, a chagrined ISS CDR answered the comm channel thus: “Mission Control, this is P-Deck.” And there you go.

After eight days at US Space Camp, the definition of ‘normal’ changes forever. Your account of the highly saturated, extremely exciting, and forever memorable week is wonderful. If only we could return more often.