The Wilbur's Night Out, and Other Things from the Imaginarium.

The Wilbur and Blooms just learned the Space Center's Phoenix and Voyager Simulators are open during the holiday vacation. They've dropped their kids off for a 5 hour mission and are on the road to enjoy a meal at Pleasant Grove's Sammy's Cafe. After enjoying the Monday Grilled Cheese for a $1.00 special, they will be off to a Picture Show. The Space Center is a blessing indeed to stressed parents during the holidays.

The Space Center's Phoenix and Voyager simulators are open on a limited schedule during the holiday vacation. Call the Center at 801.785.8713 to make your private booking or go to the party section of our web site.


Do you see what's wrong with this picture? Isn't it obvious? These children are running amok through the streets of our town. This is what happens when children's minds are released for the holiday from the rigors of school. Young brains need to be challenged; their imaginations must be exercised. If not, well..... you can see the results for yourselves. This crosswalk sign will soon be down, then where will they go? Perhaps your mail box or garden flamingos will be on the receiving end of their mischief (and heaven help your Gnomes). There are reports that every blow up Christmas Lawn decoration on Center Street disappeared last night. It is hooliganism at its worst.

What must be done to restore law and order? May we offer one solution? Loving, caring parents will book a private party at the Space Center for their children.

The choice is yours, listen to their incessant whining or get them out of the house.


Have you wondered what is it about the Space Center that appeals to students? This picture sums it up very well. During the couple hours of a private mission, students join Starfleet and venture into the unknown to save Earth from both villains and the universe's natural dangers. It is a place where they are in charge. They give the orders and adults follow their commands. It is a place where actions have consequences and the rewards go to those who exercise quick wit and problem solving.

And Now, from the Imaginarium.

The Nirvana of Holiday Gifts for the Chocolate lover in your home.

We can laugh at ourselves at the Space Center.

One of the more frequent suggests campers write on our post camp surveys is - "Get Better costumes".

We've heard and are working hard to comply. Our old costuming department was fired and replaced with people that truly know what they are doing (above).

What do you think of our new Star Wars costumes from our new Costuming Guild? You've got Yoda, Jabba, Lea, R2D2, C3PO, and Darth Vader pictured.

There should be no more complaints about costumes.

"That was Easy".

And Now, A Public Service Announcement from the Imaganarium

Who Says Cigarettes Are Bad For You?
She's 42 and Still Feeling Great!

Its a yearly problem, what to get the Space Center staff for Christmas. Well, this year's solution has been found!

The Space Center runs on Macs. Everything about the place is Apple. We live Apple, breath Apple and dream Apple. Now, Finally an Apple product within our budget!!

Thank you Apple!

Merry Christmas Staff and Volunteers!

Mr. Williamson

The Making of Legend.

Once upon a time there lived a wise old master of stories in a modest home which clung precariously to a hillside overlooking the tidy and easily forgotten village of Pleasant Grove.

Every Friday evening this wise old story teller found himself tending forty five children in a modest red brick schoolhouse which sat at the center of the village near the library and pub (using the word's most generous definition). The children came from many of the county's villages to hear stories told by his apprentices and his apprentices, apprentices.

The Master lived a good life and sought never to be a bother to anyone. His tastes were simple. In exchange for his tales, he asked for one warm meal a day and a room with a view. If there was more, he considered himself quite lucky indeed.

One week in the middle of December, the Master's path crossed the path of the vengeful and jealous Fortuna, Goddess of Fortunes. These rare encounters were usually tempestuous at best and disastrous at worst. This December crossing was the offspring of both.

Please sit and rest while I tell this tale of a Master of Story and the Goddess of Fortune. It is the making of legend.......

Less Money for Commercial Space Development

Orion capsule drop-tests into water.

Editorial Comment
by Mark Daymont
Space Center Educator

Once again, Congress cuts the wrong budget.

No doubt most readers are aware of the difficult economic times. Job losses are at an agonizing high level, and businesses are so worried about the current and future impact of business-strangling government regulations that they won't invest in hiring or new products. For space enthusiasts, we agonize over the poor planning of the White House over the retirement of the Space Shuttle and the lack of an American manned spacecraft. We go hat-in-hand to the Russians, who promptly raised the price of a seat on their venerable Soyuz spaceship, now the only path to carry humans to the International Space Station.

Soyuz spaceship approaches the ISS.

Supporters of the space program have known for a long time that one of the best investments of American tax dollars has been NASA. The spin-off technology derived from human and robotic space exploration has transformed the world over the last 50 years. Private businesses developing new products from this technology have produced millions, if not billions, of jobs worldwide and especially here in America. So it should be a no-brainer to our leaders in Washington as to which budget to keep, and if possible, expand. Apparently Not.

For several years NASA has been budgeting money to invest in companies who are also investing their own money in creating the first man-rated commercial-(as opposed to NASA-) made spaceships to reach low orbit and the ISS. The poor planning of the Bush and Obama administrations has resulted in a gap of time where America does not lead the world in manned spaceflight. This is unacceptable to the pride of our country.

This year, NASA had planned to invest $850 million spread amongst four companies in an effort to advance the development of new human-rated spaceships, aimed at getting a new system by 2015 or 2016. At the same time, NASA has been ordered by Congress to revive the Obama-cancelled Orion capsule design, even though a rocket has not yet been designed for it (Ares-1 was also cancelled, but not revived).

Although Congress praised the efforts of the commercial companies and urged them to hurry, Congress has instead cut the budget. NASA will receive only a budget $1 billion less than it needs, and in fact is $648 million smaller than last year. Therefore, NASA has announced it will only have $406 million to share amongst the competitors. The result is that the programs will be slowed down, and we will have to wait even longer to close the human spaceflight gap.

SpaceX's Dragon supply capsule will reach ISS in February 2012.

The worst part of this frustration is the waste of money by the Obama administration. WHile screaming in front of the cameras about the importance of creating jobs and investing in technologies for tomorrow, they have spent billions of dollars on failing solar-power companies which are now going into bankruptcy. The failed Solyndra company alone received over $500 million dollars, all sucked down a hole of a collapsing company. What's offensive to me, and anyone following this scandal, is that it is known that the White House knew the companies were failing and STILL SPENT THE MONEY.

Imagine what that wasted money could have done if instead invested in the companies that are attempting to build new rockets and capsules for astronauts to get to low orbit. Imagine how much shorter the spacecraft gap would be if the companies had the funds and support necessary to speed development. Imagine the jobs created as these companies ramp up production and sell seats to space. Well, it's gonna take longer now.

Funny thing, though. NASA has not cut the budget for the continued development of its own Orion capsule. Of course, Orion doesn't yet even have a rocket to get up into space. Things that make you go hmmmmm.

A Welcome Back to the Space Center's University Student Staff and Volunteers.

And from their dark lairs they emerge. Emily, Brittney, Nicole, Mason, Christine, Alex, Brent, Spenser, Bracken, Julia Anna and Stacy (and that one I'm bound to forget).

One by one they creep toward the light of day. Some, nearly blinded by months robbed of sunlight, stumble to and fro toward the smell of Autumn and the sounds of holiday cheer.

Just as Springtime comes with the release of Persephone, so comes holiday cheer to families worldwide when the Woeful Gods of Academia begrudgingly set their captives free. This short respite in the world of the living reminds these tormented souls that life waits for those who master the art of leaping through the hoops which form the barrier between worlds.

Divert thy gaze as they ascend, for their unnatural appearance rivals Medusa's.
Wait a short while before that loving embrace. Let the Sun and Autumn's crisp air displace the prison pallor and bring color to their skin and form to their faces.

Then embrace and keep them near, for their time is like a winter's day, gone all too soon. Academia will again sound its horn, and heed the call they must. Back into the dark and across the Styx, to roam the musty fields and marshes in a quest for life's meaning.

Hello Troops,
The Space Center's university students are happy their semester is over and finals put to bed. They get to experience the joy that comes from filling in the last multiple choice answer on their last final exam and walking away from the testing center to find the world a much happier place.


They may claim they are not just "Another Brick in the Wall" but they are. Let them not deceive themselves. They are a very small cog in the great machine of post high school education. They have been poked and prodded and grilled and flayed and then spat out for a fortnight, only to return to start the process all over again.

But, for a brief moment, let them leave their campuses with heads held high thinking they have 'stuck' it to the Man. They've earned their moment of Victory! They've earned the right to Be A Boss!


Welcome back to the real world! Enjoy your holiday vacations.

Mr. W.

50 Years Ago Today: Titan 1 Test Series Concluded

Titan 1A at launch.

Fifty Years ago the Air Force concluded its series of launches of the Titan 1 rocket from the Atlantic Test Range at Cape Canaveral. There had been 40 launches, out of which 4 had been failures. The Titan 1 was an important development in the design of multi-stage InterContinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) for America's strategic rocket forces. The launches had taken place from launch complexes LC15, LC16, LC19, and LC20.

Titan-1 had a range of 5500 miles. As an ICBM, it could carry a nuclear weapon of 3.75 megatons of TNT. It became operational in our Strategic Missile Defense System in 1962 and was active until 1964. It was the first of our ICBMs to be launched from underground silos hidden in the western USA. There were difficulties with the first silo designs, needing an elevator to lift the rocket for launch, too long a time for fueling, and the command necessity of grouping them in threes, possibly making them vulnerable to a nuclear attack. During deployment, there were about 60 missiles available for launch at any given time. In 1965, as the new Titan 2 and Minuteman 1 missiles came on line, the Titan 1's were retired.

For NASA, the tests enabled engineers to prepare for the successful Titan 2 missiles, which would be used to launch astronauts later in the Gemini series.

There were 33 Titan 1s given to museums, Air Force bases, and government installations as memorials. You can see one at the Cape Canaveral US Air Force Museum in Florida, on one of the bus tours that you can board from the Kennedy Space Center. Sorry, I didn't get a picture of it when I was there earlier this year.

Posted by Mark Daymont

Helping Those in Need this Holiday Season

All Things Considered, my favorite radio program on NPR, recently played this beautiful and haunting Franz Schubert song, "Hurdy-Gurdy Man". A Hurdy-Gurdy Man was someone (either a street vendor or someone seeking charity) who played a stringed instrument to attract attention to his wares or to get charity. On the show, "Hurdy-Gurdy Man" was recommended by a son remembering his father trudging 10-miles through cold and snow to a menial job to put food on the table.

This is the song sung in German with an English translation.

There are many this Holiday season who are unfortunate, many through no fault of their own. This recession has taken a terrible tole on many families. In this season of extra giving, it is well to remember them and donate either our time, food or money to worthy charities.

If you are searching for a good charity, may I recommend "Covenant House"? It is my favorite charity for holiday giving and does much good for runaway teens trying to survive in America's large cities.

Mr. W.

50 Years Ago Today: Discoverer 36 Launch Success

Thor-Agena rocket at Vandenberg AFB.

Fifty Years ago on December 12, 1961, the U.S. Air Force Space Division launched Discoverer 36 from a launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The orbit of the 300+ pound capsule reached as high as 280 miles. The main experiments included testing space equipment, researching radiation in space, and detecting nuclear explosions. All the experiments were successful.

On this flight, the Air Force allowed a hitch-hiker. A 10 pound satellite named OSCAR (Orbital Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio) was lifted aloft on the rocket to test beaming signals to HAM radio operators back on Earth. This was also a success. Even today, HAM radio operators often have opportunities through NASA programs to use amateur radios to contact astronauts on space missions such as the International Space Station.

Discoverer 36 would re-enter the Earth's atmosphere four days later after 64 orbits. The rocket itself burned up on March 8, 1962. The mission was one of the most successful launches of the Discoverer series.

Posted by Mark Daymont

And From the Imaginarium. Holiday Chuckles

Spell Checkers have always been unforgiving.

Hello From the Imaginarium!



The Kepler Space Telescope recently discovered an Earth like planet roughly 600 light years away. It may well be the first stop on our deep space exploration once we invent the Warp Drive Engine. I wonder what the inhabitants of Kepler 22-b will think of us when we arrive?

Yep, it is just as I thought.

And finally, the Christmas Card I'd actually keep after the Christmas Clean Up. This is another example of using one's imagination to create something that is One of a Kind.

Toddlers?
I recognize the antics of several of our staff and volunteers in this picture :)

Now do something creative today. Exercise your imagination.

Mr. W.

Our Fellow Troubadours Detained and Lady Brittney's Shocking News.

The Cathedral's bells rang over the moonlit castle and village. A procession of monks followed the Abbot's torch as they walked slowly down the lane to evening Mass. I drew the shutters closed. The night's air was cold and crisp, laden with the comforting smell of wood and fire. The sound of wheel on cobblestone drew my attention to the opposite lane below. A woodsman returned from the forest. His cart strained under the weight of newly cut firewood. His day was ended, his duty's done.

Our band of Troubadours gathered for their evening's lessons. Some took up quill and parchment, and by candlelight, continued their compositions for the nobleman's theater. Lady Emily and Master Wyatt sat to warm themselves by the fire. Our youngest fellows sat before them with instruments in hand.


"Lady Emily, what sayeth thee about my pleasing new melody?" Master Wyatt plucked at his mandolin's strings as he waited for a favorable response. "Tis the song I played for all this morn. The melody came to me during the night. A fortunate gift form the angels in God's heaven."

"I thought the melody showed promise," Master David said whilst painting a scene for a new work destine for summer's telling.

"And the Lady speaks...." Master Wyatt turned to Lady Emily.

Lady Emily looked up from her harp, "And should my verdict disappoint? How shall you be then?" Our band of Troubadours fell silent. Master Wyatt was not known to embrace criticism amicably.

"Then say nay, and witness thy tongue tear my crestfallen heart from its moorings and onto the cold stone below!"

Lady Emily thought for a moment to consider the gruesomeness of his description. "And should my verdict be agreeable?" she said in a softer tone.

"Then say it so, and see the departed sun appear anew to bid the dark of night adieu." Master Wyatt's fingers parodied the rays from the sun around his smiling lips.

Lady Emily momentarily returned to her thoughts before speaking. "I speak the truth when I say your melody has found good company with my thoughts." Her fingers moved back and forth across the harp's strings, recreating Master Wyatt's newest ballad. The pleasing sound of a well crafted harp filled the hushed room.

"Dear Lady, you do favor the melody so. I believe it prefers your company to mine." Wyatt turned to the younger members of the troope sitting with instruments in hand, patiently waiting for their lessons to begin. "Do you not agree?" he thought to wait for a response, then continued before anyone could speak. "Granted your ears are not trained to fathom the sound of wing on air or hand upon cheek. But still, do you not feel your spirits sore at its playing?"

"The Lady's harp speaks for itself. The tune, never finer played," spoke young Connor. Master Wyatt jumped to his feet. Young Connor had transgressed the boundary between student and master. The boy retreated. "Did you not say it so yourself just a moment ago?" Connor spoke quickly to not offend. His back straight and muscles tensed - ready for flight.

Master Wyatt's countenance softened. He stretched forth his arms, and with billowing voice shouted. "Let the sun return, for the Lady's tune is pleasing." The young Troubadours applauded. Master Wyatt accepted their praise.

Lady Emily motioned for Master Wyatt to return to his mandolin. "Sit now and ease your mind, for I truly confess that Beauty is the definition of your tune. And now to the business at hand. Our pupils wait."

There was a sound in the hall. The great oak door burst open. In stepped the Count's trusted Herald. The look upon his face spoke of the bad news to follow.

"I have news of your fellow Troubadours Casey, Bronson, and Jack. A herald from King Wesley of the Northlands reports they are detained. Their return is no longer guaranteed."

The Herald's news was interrupted by shouts from the assembled troope.

"What treachery is this?" questioned Master Adam as he reached for his dagger.

Master Devin's response was quick to follow. "Our response is sure. We take up arms against King Wesley of the Northlands!"

Several stood with arms raised to join the holy cause. The herald cleared his throat and waved his hand beckoning all to silence. "The news is worse. Lady Morgan is detained as well.

"To the defense of Lady Morgan!" Master Zac jumped from his desk. His parchments scattered to the floor. "Where is my sword?"

"Taken from you by the Count for spearing his favored cat three months past," Lady Stacy's reminder drew laughter from the somber crowd.

"Said cat suffered from demonic possession and thrust itself upon the tip of my sword. That I am sure." Master Zac reached out to his fellows for support. "How can I bear responsibility?"

The Herald raised his hand to speak. "The Count believes King Wesley detains them in the North Lands for the sole purpose of creating a theater to rival ours. The Count and Countess will speak more on the matter during the evening meal. I bid you adieu."

The door shut. Threats against the Northlanders engaged every tongue. Not one was silent, each attempted to overspeak the others in his or her company.

"The news is worse." Lady Brittney rose to speak. "Pray indulge me this moment."
She waited for quiet to drive the last of the angry sounds into the stone walls.

"I will take my leave of this place after the Christmas performances. I shall find work in the Southlands where I reside. Good fellows, I pray you support me in this decision." The Lady bowed to all then sat with head down in prayer.

The shock of such news, all at the same time, caused many an eye to tear. A feather could have swept us from our feet. The door opened again.

"The evening meal is prepared. Please join the Count and Countess." A brightly dressed footman bowed, turned and walked away leaving the door open for all to follow.

"There is much to discuss," I spoke as the troope stood to exit. "We shall talk of these things again after our meal. Make haste, do not keep the Count waiting."

Note:
The story above carries two items of Space Center news. Casey Voeks has accepted a position as Valiant Set Director for iWorlds in Park City. He has moved to Park City. Bronson, Morgan and Jack (among other Space Center Park City volunteers) will be working with Casey to bring the Space Center experience to the people of the "Northlands". We wish our friends the best as they work long hours to make this a success!

Brittney Vandeboss, the Magellan's former Set Director, will be leaving full time employment at the Space Center. The Magellan's Directorship was given to Zac H.
Brittney lives in Provo and is attending BYU.
Brittney is looking for employment on campus. She has been with us 6 years and is entitled to a rest. Brittney will remain an employee, working as a substitute when needed. We wish Brittney all the best as she moves on with her education.

Mr. W.

Luna and the Celestial Time

Hello Troops,
The Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon tomorrow morning making for a beautiful Lunar eclipse. The timing couldn't be more perfect, and for that I must thank the Celestial clockkeeper.

The eclipse will reach its peak at 7:34 A.M. tomorrow. We wake our campers at 7:10 A.M. They eat mass quantities of donuts, Gogurts, fruit etc and are ready to leave the cafeteria at 7:35 A.M. The timing is perfection. We finish eating, walk the younglings outside, let them gaze at the darkening moon then usher them straight back into the school and into the simulators to finish their missions. We couldn't have planed it better.

It is a good Overnight Camp. The campers are well behaved and for that we are always grateful. The only sound I hear comes from the staff bed down in the Odyssey. They are telling tales of simulated heroism and fantasy courage in the face of Universal Armageddon. It has been the same for 21 years, staff telling newer staff the stories of their trials and tribulations in the simulators. This person to person story telling becomes the oral history of the Center, passed from one generation of staff to another.

I've got a few Christmas Ideas from the Wonderland Emporium two blocks from the Imaginarium. I clipped these ads from the newspaper and thought to pass them along to you. We all have someone on our holiday shopping list impossible to shop for. Perhaps something advertised here will relieve your burden.

Mickey Fired! And The Space Center's New Autosmile Braces.

Hello Troops,
The DuMouse clan sat anxiously waiting for the weekly Friday evening MouseNetwork replay of Steamboat Willy, Mickey's first on screen performance. The DuMouses live between the walls of a wonderfully restored Victorian home on the corner of Fifth and Elm in Wonderland. A human family named Dumont purchased the home ten years ago.

"Quiet," shouted Mrs. DuMouse, "the show is about to start." She searched the sea of little mouse eyes for her youngest. "Wally, get the cheese out of the ice box. Let's have a treat."

"We interrupt this broadcast to bring you a special bulletin." The announcer's voice was somber, reflective of the news he was about to read. The Mouse family froze. They knew whatever it was had to be serious for the MouseNetwork to interrupt a playing of Steamboat Willy.
"This just in, Mickey Mouse was fired as Disneyland's Goodwill Ambassador. Apparently several campers attending a mission at the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center in Pleasant Grove were overheard telling the director that the Space Education Center was 'better than Disneyland'." The announcer paused to choke back his emotions. "A Disney informant not wanting to be identified said that Mickey was warned his job was on the line if anything like that was said again."

The picture on the screen switched from the news reader to a picture of Mickey, outside of the Magic Kingdom.



"Oh how the mighty have fallen!" gasped Mrs. DuMouse.
"Say it isn't so Mama!" Dora DuMouse sobbed.
"I'm afraid its true. Poor Mickey, reduced to begging on the street." Mrs. DuMouse's countenance grew dark - her eyes sinister. "Curse that Space Education Center," she mumbled under her breath. "They'll get theirs someday."

Troops,
I realize not everyone who comes to the Space Center's agrees, but two people told me yesterday that the Space Center was better than Disneyland. As many of you know, I'm one of the world's greatest Disney fans, so hearing that causes my chest to swell with such pride it nearly busts my buttons. I don't necessarily agree with the comment, but I'm happy that there are many who sincerely believe it.

The Space Education Center is my 2nd Happiest Place on Earth! The Disney Parks will always be my number 1, but thank you to all of you that believe differently. You're all awesome.

The Autosmile Brace


I found these awesome Autosmile Braces while Christmas shopping online and decided to purchase a set to be used by the Space Center's staff. Finally someone was creative enough to realize that not everyone can look happy all the time when coming to work - hence the problem we have at the Space Center.

There are days forcing the corners of my mouth upwards to reveal a convincing smile requires hydraulic power my cheek muscles cannot muster. On days like that, usually caused directly or indirectly by the Dementress, I must rely on others to stand as welcoming and warm in my stead. Lorraine is one such person. She had her smile tattooed onto her face several years ago just for the Space Center. I admire her dedication, but couldn't bring myself to do the same until last week.

After working a very difficult mission with a captain who rarely left her chair and spoke with such a mousy voice no one could hear anything she said, my natural frown sagged into something entirely unnatural in appearance. I caught a glimpse of myself in the Phototon on the bridge. It was shocking.

"Your countenance has ventured into a menagerie of the macabre and the grotesque." Lorraine said as she pulled me aside to deliver the terrible news moments before we loaded the next field trip crew.

I looked at her tattooed smile. Mind you, up close you can see the artist's flaws, but from a few steps back, it looks entirely natural. "Alright, I'm going to do it. Make an appointment. I'll have the procedure."

Lorraine smiled. That's when I was reminded of another major flaw in a smile tattoo. "Lorraine, remember not to smile for real. The two tattooed corners of your mouth nearly close at the top right there under your nose. It almost makes a perfect circle."

"I forgot," she replied.

Thank goodness I discovered the Autosmile Braces before leaving for the tattoo parlor. A Space Center landmark has been saved. My natural frown can continue to instill fear anytime I wish (necessary when you're the boss. The staff need to see me when I'm not a happy camper).

Staff and volunteers, the Autosmile Braces will be kept just inside the Voyager's Stage loading door. Pick one up as needed for those tough days. And please remember to disinfect when finished BEFORE you hang them back on the hook.

Remember, we always have a smile for our guests, whether natural, unnatural, or mechanically produced :)

Mr. W.

Openings for This Weekend's Overnight Camp

Opening for This Weekend's Overnight Camp!

Date: December 9-10.
Time: 7:00 P.M. Friday evening to 10:00 A.M. Saturday Morning.
Price: $43.00 per person. (Discount for Blog Readers. Call for the Discount)
Ages: 10 to 14

Call for a reservation: 801.785.8713

The Dementress. A Space Center Tale

In her natural habitat. A Form Never Before Seen by Mortal Eyes.
Exposed Today in "The Troubadour".

The Dementress
A Space Center Tale

And by her touch all joys disperse
and sorrow, by its nature leaps
to flood the vacant hollow left bare
in her passing.
The wretched's heart beats again
with a darkness akin to the depth of night.

Beware. She prowls hall and ship
for victims new and unaware.
The Dementress slithers nearer, nearer
her hand doth reach; One touch, not two.

Alias, The deed is done.
Her joy increaseth,
leaving in its wake
a melancholy enchantment,
to inhale another's final vapors of content.

Troops,
We have The Red Blemish. We have "M, The Destroyer of Worlds". Now who is this, who prowls the halls of our Space Center? Who is this Dementress? She was there for the last Overnight Camp. She walked beside you.

She knows I know. She knows I watch. She knows to be careful. She will be exposed :)

Mr. W.

P.S. Yes I've discovered another one of our staff or volunteers with supernatural powers. Can you guess who?

And finally, an example of the pure magic of imagination from 1951. Enjoy the brilliance of early live TV.

A Small Lesson Taught during an Overnight Camp.

The two young boys left the Odyssey sobbing. The Flight Director tried to calm them. It wasn't working. I was at my desk preparing the camp's Rank Advancement Certificates.

"Come here and sit down." The boys followed my directions and sat in two of the four gray desks kept in front of my ridiculously long wooden desk.

"Remember what I said at the start of the camp?" I questioned. "I said that if you started getting scared you should tell us so we can let you out of the ship."

"I told him," one boy said pointing to the volunteer playing the ship's doctor.

"And I told you." The volunteer looked at the Flight Director.

"You didn't say he wanted out of the ship, you just said he was getting scared."

"Go back to the flight," I ordered. The two walked back to the Odyssey leaving me at my desk with two crying 5th grade boys.

I explained the alien intruder was gone and that part of the mission was over. It calmed one boy. "I'm ready to go back," he said as he wiped the last tears from his red eyes with a shirt sleeve. He found his way back into the Odyssey through the revolving door. The other wasn't so easily consoled.

"I want to go home." He repeated the demand to counter every reason I gave him to stay and 'tough it out'. At the end, I surrendered the battle and handed him the phone.

I couldn't hear the boy's five minute conversation with his mother. He stopped crying half way through the call.
"My moms going to come see me before I go to bed," he said when he handed me back the phone. It was very cold outside and nearly 11:00 P.M. I felt sorry for this devoted mom, willing to drive twenty minutes each way just so her boy could see her for reassurance before going to bed.

I felt I needed to say something.

"I feel sorry for your mom." I used my pitiful voice. He looked confused at my statement. "Think about what you asked her to do just for you. You want her to leave your warm house and drive all the way here and back just so you can see her for a few minutes before you go to bed."

He stared at the desktop, not wanting to look me face to face. "You're ten years old and a big boy now. I think you should think about your mom for a moment and what you could do to make her night better. Think about how proud your mom would be of you if you called her and told not to come all the way over here in the cold. Don't you think that would be a nice thing to do for your mom?" I paused for dramatic effect, then continued. "I know I wouldn't want my mom to drive out to see me in the middle of the night if it wasn't an emergency. Is this an emergency? What do you think?"

The boy sat still. "I just want to see her before I go to bed," he mumbled.

"I understand, but the phone is right here. Isn't talking to her on the phone almost as good? I sure feel sorry for your mom." I put the phone in its cradle. "The phone is here if you want to use it. You decide. I've got to go back to my work."
I started typing. He sat motionless. I waited for his next move hoping inside he would 'man up' and not have his mom drive out here just to console him. I did my best to help him grow up a little and learn to be more self reliant. I wondered if the lesson had taken root.

"Can I used the phone," he whispered. I felt hope stir inside me. He dialed his mom's cell phone. She answered.
"Mom, you don't have to come out. I'm OK. I just wanted to talk to you."

I stopped typing and looked with a sense of pride at this ten year old boy. He was thinking of someone else instead of himself. There were a few more tears before the call ended. He handed me the phone.

"You're a brave boy. Your mom's got to be very proud of you," I said as I ruffled his hair. He smiled.

He made one more call before going to bed. There were more tears but he held firm. He was going to stay and she didn't need to come see him. He made it through the night without another problem and survived the camp to the end.

Three other boys woke me up at different times throughout the night. Each had homesick stomachs. Each wanted to go home. I talked each boy through his fear. At the end, not one of our 45 ten and eleven year old's went home. It was a good night and another small victory for this old camp director.

Have a Great Weekend,

Mr. W.

Space Center to Open During Christmas Vacation

Hello Troops,
The Space Center will be open during the Christmas Vacation. Please visit the Space Center's web site to book your holiday party.
Spacecamputah.org

50 Years Ago Today: Enos the Chimp Goes to Space.

MA-5 lifts off from Cape Canaveral.

Fifty years ago, NASA launched its last test of a Mercury-Atlas rocket before placing a human in orbit. MA-5 blasted off from Launch Complex 14 at 8 am MST on November 29, 1961. Engineers had been preparing this flight for 40 weeks. It seems that as new technology continued to improve, the mission of MA-5 kept changing. Finally it was decided to test the capsule with a live occupant. But instead of an astronaut, a chimpanzee was placed aboard.

Enos in his space couch.

Until the flight of MA-5, the most famous space chimp was Sam, who had flown in a test of the Mercury-Redstone rocket before Alan Shepard flew his mission. This time the task fell to Enos, which means "man" in the Hebrew language. Five hours before liftoff, Enos was secured into his spacesuit-couch and placed in the capsule. The launch went well and Enos was placed into orbit.

However, once in orbit, things "went south". The attitude control system malfunctioned. The auto correction thrusters were engaged 9 times to keep the craft in proper attitude before retrofire. The environmental control system also malfunctioned, and the capsule began heating up inside. Enos' body temperature reached 100.5 degrees F and mission controllers worried about the health of the chimp. Then the environmental system corrected itself and normal temperature was restored. Because the thruster problem was using up fuel, it was determined to bring back the capsule after the 2nd orbit. The capsule splashed down in the Pacific off the coast of California. After search planes spotted the craft bobbing on the waters, the destroyer USS Stormes retrieved the capsule and extracted Enos the Space Chimp.

With the success of MA-5, the qualifications had been met for the launch of humans aboard the Atlas rocket, and preparations began for the launch of the first American to orbit the Earth. As for Enos, the brave animal passed away about a year later after contracting a form of dysentery.

Posted by Mark Daymont

Open Phoenix Mission for Wednesday

Hello All,
The Phoenix will run a 2.5 hour Private Mission on Wednesday, November 30th. You can sign up to attend individually or with a friend or two. Call the Space Center for a reservation. 801.785.8713. The cost is $13.00 per person. Money is collected at the door Wednesday night. This is open to anyone between the ages of 10 and 16.

Foreign Affairs: Russian Curse vs. Chinese Success

Phobos-Grunt being prepared for launch.

Russia continues to suffer under a curse. The Phobos-Grunt satellite, launched on November 9, remains in Earth orbit suffering a profound silence. The Zenit rocket carrying Phobos-Grunt had placed the exploration robot in a temporary orbit before heading out towards Mars and the Martian moon Phobos. However, the necessary signals to send the craft outward from Earth did not ignite the engines and the craft went silent. Russian and international scientists have struggled intensely to repair communications in the last couple of weeks. Suddenly, a signal got through a few days before Thanksgiving, and there was some hope communications could be restored as telemetry got through on our holiday. Thanks should be given to technicians at the European Space Agency station near Perth in Australia. Sadly, this success was not repeated and the robotic explorer remains silent now.

Phobos-Grunt launches on a Zenit rocket.

Recently Russia has had some mishaps with the Soyuz rocket series, prompting a temporary grounding of spaceflights to the ISS while engineers worked to solve the problem. With the success of recent launches to ISS, the problem seemed solved, but now the Phobos- Grunt satellite remains stranded in orbit, with the fear that it could crash back to Earth with a significant supply of toxic fuel on board.

This was Russia's 4th attempt to reach Mars. It had not launched an interplanetary probe in 15 years. The other three launches to Mars also met with failure. In 1988, Russia sent Phobos 1 and Phobos 2 to reach the planet. Phobos 1 failed soon after launch. Phobos 2 reached MArtian orbit, only to go suddenly silent and was never heard from again. In 1996, the launch of a Mars probe went wrong and the satellite crashed into the Pacific Ocean. Are the Russians cursed when it comes to reaching Mars? Actually it goes to prove how difficult an interplanetary probe mission really is, and how amazing the American results have been.

Meanwhile, China keeps launching satellites with uneventful regularity.

Long March 2D blasts off from China.

So far this year, China has made 15 satellite launches, and only one was a failure. China usually uses the Long March 2D rocket. Years ago China would have suffered more failures, but since their "acquisition" of American rocket and satellite technology from Loreal and other American space firms, they have had a much higher success rate. While some of the technology was improperly transfered to China as a result of Clinton administration "deals", some has been determined to be lost to China as a result of Chinese computer hacking and corporate spying.

This week China launched 2 satellites from the Jinquan Satellite Launch Center, testing new technologies and observing environmental situations in China.

Posted by Mark Daymont

Saturday

MSL On its Way to Mars!

Atlas V liftoff from Launch Complex 41.

At 8:02 a.m. MST, NASA ignited the engines of the Atlas V rocket carrying the MSL (Mars Science Laboratory) on its way to Mars. The launch has proceeded very well so far, with the separation of the nose cone fairings. The second stage Centaur rocket is expected to fire at about 8:45 a.m. (Update: Stage firing and spacecraft separation confirmed - MSL is on its way to MARS!).

MSL rover in the lab with scientists.

The MSL rover (named Curiosity) is the largest that has been sent to Mars. Its wide variety of sensors and controls will enable it to explore terrain unaccessible to prior rovers such as Spirit, Opportunity and Pathfinder. Scheduled to land on Mars in August 2012, Curiosity is expected to run a mission length of 23-24 months. Those of you who have been watching Mars rovers so far understand that the craft may last MUCH longer than that.

You can download a PDF fact sheet from NASA at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/fact_sheets/mars-science-laboratory.pdf

Posted by Mark Daymont

The Child Who Survived

Hello Troops,
Strange not to be at the Space Center on a Saturday. I feel like I should be doing something or talking to someone. The room is too quiet. There are no explosions or sirens or children laughing, screaming or applauding. I'm not surrounded by scores of young people moving to and from the simulators, some taking a moment or two to talk while others ask for the M and M drawer as they fill their prescription bottles. It's 4:23 P.M. according to the clock I should be wandering through the school dispensing Meadow Gold Ice Cream Sandwiches. The halls should echo with Rogers automatic floor cleaner, the one that resembles an ice rink's Zamboni. Twenty one years of conditioning brings an uneasiness when routine is disrupted.

Don't worry about me. I'll weather this disturbance in the Force. My chores are never done. It's all part of being an adult, even in a land of Imagination where kids reign supreme.

Canyon Lake Elementary School. Rapid City South Dakota

Childhood goes by so quickly. Wasn't it just a couple long years ago I was a fifth grader at Canyon Lake Elementary School? We moved mid year from South Canyon to Canyon Lake. It was tough changing schools, but I had a talent for making friends quickly. It was that year I went on my favorite elementary school field trip to KOTA, Rapid City's local television station. Instead of Alice's looking glass, I had stepped through the television screen and met the people whose black and white pixels lit my small living room every evening. I saw the large cameras and the wooden sets used for the news and the children's Saturday morning shows. That simple rural TV studio was magic for a ten year old.

There I am, Top Row. 1968.
I like to think I Survived.

A kindly woman with heavily lacquered hair called us over to a large table next to a room filled with panels of dials, switches and knobs. A couple dozen 8 by 10 black and white photographs of KOTA's Saturday morning cartoon characters covered the table top. She told us we could take one photograph of our favorite cartoon character.

"How nice, let's all say thank you to the nice lady." My teacher spoke perfect Teacher Talk .

Teacher Talk notwithstanding, we didn't hear a word she said. It was our Walmart Black Friday moment, circa 1968. We rushed forward, ignoring the teacher's shouting for order. Everyone pushed and shoved to get to the table first, none more so than me. There at the center of the table lay a picture of my cartoon hero, Johnny Quest. I pushed Derek Leonard down. Tom Patnoe shoved and I shoved back with all the shove a ten year old could muster. Five empty hands strained toward the prize. Only one came back fulfilled. Johnny Quest was mine.


I have many fond school memories from my childhood. For most children today, the Space Education Center is their best remembered field trip. We bring magic into their lives. It is a responsibility we take seriously. It is a duty that motivates me, and I hope everyone on our staff, to go above and beyond. We will continue to honor a commitment to quality and do our part to ensure more children will survive into adulthood.

Mr. Williamson

P.S.
Many have asked about the title pictures seen on this blog. Many of them come from my collection of old black and white pictures of kids, adults and seniors living in times gone by. I organized a few of my favorites showing kids from times passed. Today they are either in the winter of life or gone. It is a reminder of how quickly life passes. Enjoy your childhood. Cherish the memories and let your childhood survive into adulthood.

Here's Hoping All Had a Great Thanksgiving

Hello Troops,
The day after Thanksgiving and all was quiet in the house, except for the sound of rumbling stomachs and the gurgling sound of Mr. Williamson guzzling a bottle of Pepto Bismol. It was quite the feast at my niece's home, attended by family far and near. A full detailed description of my Thanksgiving Day can read on my Genealogy blog by clicking these words.
(Before reading, know that exaggeration is my one true weakness :)

I stopped by the Space Center to put out the working list for next week. I was amazed at what Jon Parker and Megan Warner accomplished on Wednesday. They repainted the Voyager's Captain's Quarters. Before they could paint, they had to do extensive sheet rock repairs. The loft looks brand new. This is going above and beyond the call of duty and so typical of what our Space Center staff do for the students and teachers that attend every day.

Not wanting the Phoenix to feel left out, Megan turned her attention to repainting the Phoenix's doors and desks. She put the finishing touches to the door just as Miranda's test mission arrived this morning at 10:00 A.M.

Just when I thought I couldn't be more amazed, I found Stacy, Rachel, Ben and Matt in Discovery enjoying a delicious breakfast while working on the Galileo's new summer mission!

These people surely make me look good. They are all awesome.

Now, how about an update from Mark Daymont's Space Rubble Blog?

50 Year Anniversary: Ranger 2 flubs, USAF tests Titan

Atlas-Agena launch.

Fifty years ago, launches continued from the Cape Canaveral pads. NASA launched Ranger 2 on an Atlas-Agena rocket combination on November 18, 1961. Ranger's 2 mission was to test the electronics of experiments that would later be sent to study other planets, and to also send back information on space radiation and magnetic fields. Scientists hoped to discover clues about a possible trail of hydrogen gas following behind the Earth as it orbited the Sun.

Ranger 2 at NASA Glen Research Center.

The Atlas rocket successfully placed Ranger 2 in orbit around the Earth, but disaster followed. The Agena second stage failed to ignite, due to a malfunctioning gyro. Ranger 2 was unable to be placed in the orbit necessary for the tests, and after separation it was stranded in an orbit that brought it closer and closer to Earth's atmosphere. It burned up two days later.

Titan 1 ICBM launch.

On November 21, 1961, a Titan 1a ICBM missile test was conducted by the USAF from its Canaveral site. This missile launched a special nose cone that would later be used in anti-missile missile tests with the Nike-Zeus system.

The next day, the military launched a mysterious satellite from Point Arguello in California. The rocket used was the Atlas-Agena combo. I still have not found out anything about this mysterious launch. It is recorded as the first "unannounced" rocket launch of a satellite.

Posted by Mark Daymont