VIDEO: Students go on 'rescue mission to Mars' at Chabot space camp

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Dozens of Bay Area students are locked in a rescue mission to the Red Planet. They're participating in a summer camp at the Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland.

Their mission is to rescue an astronaut theoretically stranded on Mars. But along the way, they have to solve real-life challenges -- everything from engineering flight suits to understanding the chemistry of the Martian surface. And, most importantly, developing an idea of what they'd find there.

"There'd be a bunch of hills and everything would probably be red," said camper Maya Leta-Pombo.

"There'd be a lot of dirt there, and I think I'd find living things on Mars but it would be bacteria," said camper Nina Jackson.

"There might be life forms because you need water to live and alien life could live there," Stephen Kasirajan said.

"They get to build and test things. All with the purpose of rescuing this lost astronaut on Mars," Chabot Space and Science Centers' Caleb Cheung said.

The camp still has slots open this summer.

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