A Report on Monday's Space Center Committee Meeting. The Pale Blue Dot

Hello Troops,

We have a few things to look at in tonight's digital gathering here on the Troubadour, so grab a soda, get yourself comfortable and read on.

The Final Meeting of the Space Center Committee  

The final meeting of the school district's Space Center Committee was held Monday afternoon.

The Maintenance Director gave an update on a few action points from our last meeting.  

• In our last meeting, I suggested we consider using iWorld's Valiant simulator at the Space Center to increase our field trip numbers from one to two classes per day.  Getting the The iWorlds Valiant up to code for school use would cost roughly $75,000.  Scratch using the Valiant off the list.  It isn't going to happen.  It isn't worth the cost.
• The Magellan will be getting dimmers for its new lights.  Red lights will be installed next week. 
• The Phoenix is ready to be put back together.
• The Galileo is still waiting for speciality rivets so its walls can be installed.  Kyle Herring is examining a new, safer way of opening and closing the simulator's door.     

I asked about building a new Odyssey next to the Phoenix in the Space Center's Office.  Both the Maintenance Director and I thought it could be done for approx. $25,000, considering we have the old Odyssey's equipment in storage.    

• Knowing that a new Space Center is roughly three or four years away, an 8 person Odyssey would allow us to increase our field trip numbers to two classes per day; with up to 35 students in each class.  
• A new Odyssey would be wheelchair accessible - a problem we have right now with our three remaining simulators.  

The idea of a new Odyssey was warmly accepted by everyone on the committee.  I need to get a rough design of the new Odyssey to the Maintenance Department so it can be priced out.  The plans and price estimate would be taken to District administrators for a final decision.  We will prepare the proposal and hope for the best.  

I gave the committee an update on our new Space EdVentures Foundation.  Our Foundation is formally  requesting to rent the Space Center's simulators after school, Saturdays and summers.  The District's Building Rental Committee will review our application and set a rental price.   

The Space Center will open again for private missions and day camps if we can get a good rental and insurance rate.  Our volunteers program will resume if we open for private programs.  Again, it all depends on the rental and insurance rate.     

The Space Center is scheduled to reopen for field trips only on February 11. 

The Troubadour would like to thank the members of the Space Center Committee for their time and efforts in helping reopen the Space Center.

Mr. Williamson

Our Pale Blue Dot in Space