Andie Bergstrom, an astronaut eagerly awaiting her first trip to space, runs a summer camp for teenagers with her NASA-employed husband, Zach. One night during an engine test, Andie and four teenage campers are accidentally shot into space. Together, the group -- which includes Kathryn, a pilot-in-training, and Tish, a ditz with a perfect memory -- must work together to operate the spacecraft and return home.
Practical Effects
Real NASA shuttle sets before Challenger tragedy grounded the fantasy
Acting
Baby Joaquin Phoenix as Max, already stealing scenes at 12
Director
Harry Winer
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released four months before Challenger exploded, turning this wholesome fantasy into a historical artifact of lost American innocence.
Lea Thompson learned basic shuttle procedures for real; the cast attended actual Space Camp. Joaquin Phoenix was still credited as 'Leaf'—his brief child-actor phase before reclaiming his name.
US
