By David Williams of 
New Zealand children were promised a two-week program at NASA headquarters, but those dreams have now been dashed. Photo: AFP/ Gregg Newton
Kiwi families say they have been left thousands of dollars out of pocket after a company organising to send children to a US space camp collapsed.
Actura charged up to $13,000 for children from 25 New Zealand schools to attend a two-week CASE Space School Program at the NASA headquarters in Houston, Texas.
However, parents received an email on Friday morning from company boss Charles Chung that said Actura Australia had gone into liquidation and that 2024 and 2025 international study programmes - including CASE Space School, CASE Ocean School and CASE Film & Arts School expeditions - were cancelled.
"Actura has no financial resources to provide customer refunds," Chung told parents.
Otago mum Jaimee Scott told the Herald she had paid nearly $9000 for her 15-year-old son to attend a space school in December this year and made an installment only four days ago.
Scott said the worst part was not the money but the impact on her son who had always dreamed of being an astronaut.
"He saved every single penny he had to go towards it and went and got a job," Scott said.
"We live in a rural town so he got a job at a local pub to pay for this. Everyone was involved and really excited.
"We could have bought him a car or done something else. But it was more the fact that it was his dream."
Another out-of-pocket parent told the Herald she had paid nearly $12,000 so far for her daughter to attend the same programme.
The Auckland mother, who wished to remain anonymous, said her daughter felt guilty over the loss.
"My daughter is devastated. She thinks it is her fault because we paid for her to go," the parent said.
"She is feeling guilty because she told us she wanted to do it and now feels like she has caused lots of problems."
The family learned of the programme through the daughter's high school.
Last year, parents at her school had a meeting with staff from Actura who showcased the space camp and shared stories from other students who had attended.
"More than 20 schools each paying thousands of dollars. Where has the money gone?" the mother asked.
"If you read the email, they [Actura] have been struggling the last few years... they knew about it for a long time."
Actura New Zealand has taken down its website and Facebook pages.
"Parents that have paid some or all of their expedition installments via credit card are advised to contact their card issuer to make chargeback claim(s) which may provide for some recovery of costs," Actura's email to parents said.
"The company's cashflow has been severely affected by the compounding financial effects of a precarious recovery from the Covid-19 global pandemic, a large increase in cost of supply coupled with significant reductions in registrations due to the ongoing increases in the costs of living being experienced by families."
The Herald attempted to email Actura Australia, however received the response: "Thank you for your email. Unfortunately Actura has ceased all operations. This inbox is no longer monitored."
The Herald has attempted to contact several of the schools associated with the programme.
This story was originally published by the NZ Herald.
