Directed by Harry Winer, story by Patrick Bailey and Larry B. Williams, screenplay by Clifford Green (as W. W. Wicket) and Casey T. Mitchell, the film stars Kate Capshaw, Kelly Preston, Larry B. Scott, Lea Thompson, Tate Donovan, and Joaquin Phoenix (credited as "Leaf Phoenix") in his feature film debut.

SpaceCamp received mixed reviews and is famous for being a "marketing nightmare," as it was released less than five months after the Space Shuttle Challenger accident of January 28, 1986 (although filming was completed before the disaster occurred).

The script was later adapted into a novel, which did include references to the Challenger explosion and some of the kids' decisions to attend Space Camp in the wake of said tragedy.

Kevin pursues Kathryn romantically, Rudy shares his wish to open the first fast food franchise on the Moon and Tish reveals that despite appearing to be a valley girl, she is a genius with a photographic memory.

Jinx secretly enters NASA's computer room and triggers a "thermal curtain failure", causing one of the boosters to ignite during the test.

The Shuttle is not flight ready, has no long range radio and insufficient on-board oxygen to last to the re-entry window at Edwards Air Force Base.

His lack of confidence combined with the time pressure frustrates Kathryn, who tries reading the diagram herself and gives Andie instructions that conflict with Rudy's.

Kathryn is unable to make a decision, but Kevin shows himself to be the Shuttle Commander and overrides the autopilot, enabling Max to rescue Andie.

With Andie injured, Kathryn fulfils her role as Shuttle Pilot, but frets and doubts her abilities until Kevin cajoles and teases her into guiding Atlantis through re-entry and landing it at White Sands.

Critic Roger Ebert gave it a one and half star rating, saying that "Our thoughts about the Space Shuttle will never be the same again, and our memories are so painful that SpaceCamp is doomed even before it begins.

"[12] Variety says that "SpaceCamp never successfully integrates summer camp hijinks with outer space idealism to come up with a dramatically compelling story",[13] while James Sanford of the Kalamazoo Gazette responds "Not exactly out of this world".