At the time of release, some thought the movie was trying to capitalize on the shuttle tragedy and should never have been released. However, those associated with "SpaceCamp" disagreed and added they had taken extra care to avoid any appearance of exploiting a national tragedy. The film 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 film performed poorly at the box office, grossing less than $10 million in the US. 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.