Attending Space Camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala., is an impressive experience for any aspiring astronaut.

For one young New Hampshire boy wanting to be an astronaut, the space camp was a dream of a lifetime that has opened opportunities for others.

Alex Higgins, of Bedford, died in an accident at his home 1999, but his parents are giving other young people the same chance Alex had with a scholarship for Granite State students.

Inspired by the experience he had with his father at U.S. Space Camp in Florida, Alex dreamed of becoming an astronaut.

When the space shuttle Endeavour was launched into space in 2008, New Hampshire native Rick Linnehan fulfilled Alex’s dream by carrying a photograph of Alex on board the shuttle.

“We felt very driven to create a lasting legacy to Alex’s life that would keep his memory alive forever,” said Paul and Rachel Higgins.

In 2001, the Higgenses, in partnership with the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, Touch the Future Inc. and the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, set up the Alex Higgins Space Camp Scholarship to send three New Hampshire children between the ages of 9 and 18 to Space Camp each summer.

So far, 35 children have had the opportunity to attend the U.S. -Space and Rocket Center.

At Space Camp, participants are able to choose from three different tracks – space, aviation or robotics. The camp offers “in-depth, hands-on experiences for people to learn to train like an astronaut,” said Jennifer Jones, of the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center.

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center and other space camps seek to encourage kids to be engaged in the fields of math, science, technology and engineering.

“The programs and experiences offered at U.S. Space Camp help to provide youths with the same level of inspiration that we felt when watching the boundaries being pushed outward by the Apollo program,” the Higginses said by e-mail. “Our goal is to try to ensure that deserving youths with a passion for space science and exploration are afforded the same opportunity that Alex had for a potentially life-changing experience of a week at space camp.”

For more information on the Alex Higgins Space Camp Scholarship, visit www.starhop.com/education-and-exploration/programs/annual-events/space-camp-scholarships.aspx.