One Week to the Space Center's Reopening for Field Trips. Your Questions. Space News. The Imaginarium

Hello Troops,
The Space Center opens for field trips one week from today.  There is much to do and little time to do it.  Electricians worked in the Phoenix today.  Drywallers worked on the Magellan Control Room wall and Jon Parker and Matt Ricks worked to hang the Galileo's interior walls.  Megan Warner and Connor Larson have the red and blue rope lights working beautifully in the Phoenix.  Megan was particularly proud of the Phoenix's four working strobe lights.  Indeed, it was a busy busy day.

I am often complimented on the quality, honesty and dedication of the Space Center's staff and volunteers.  People who work with them can see that this loyalty comes from the heart.  Our staff and volunteers know what needs to be done to make the Space Center successful, how it is to be done and the proper way it should be done.  I stand proud when I'm in their company.  We've all benefited from their dedication to the Space Center and our unique discipline of wonder.    I've  missed their company over the past six months, as I know you have.

 The Space Center is a community effort, sprung from a grassroots effort to inspire Utah's children to imagine, dream, learn and do.  It will soon be time for our community to come forward once again to support us in our efforts to reopen the Center for private missions and camps.  Several of the Space Center's long time supports have formed the Space EdVentures Foundation.  Our Foundation will be asking for your support as we petition the school district for permission to rent the Space Center facilities at Central for after school, Saturday and summer parties and camps.  Renting the Space Center as a private organization will free the school district of after hours liability.  The Foundation will carry its own insurance.  Volunteers, and most of our staff, will be able to return to work.  Our Programming Guild will resume its activities.  Think of our SpaceEdVentures Foundation as the Space Center's Booster Club. 

Watch for news on the Space EdVentures Foundation in upcoming posts.

Answers to our Reader's Questions

Nathan Asked:
What do you mean, rental fees? Weren't we off the District's bond? Wasn't the Space Center private, not owned by the school district? I'm a bit confused...

Thank you for the question.  The Space Center is not a private business.  We are part of the Alpine School District.  We are not on the Alpine District's bond.  We have been, for the most part, self funding through our camps and classes.  

This post explains the rental fees.   

Anonymous asked:
I am very confused on the following questions, please somebody answer them:

Are all private missions only for the discovery space center? can only the discovery space center staff the missions? Because I'm not sure I like the space camp not in a star trek universe...

The Discovery Space Center will offer private missions in March.  The Space Center at Central School will offer private missions if and when we get permission from the school district. 

Will the discovery space center take over the center some day?

That is a good question.  We hope the Space Center will continue as long as the Sun shines.  The fate of the Space Center is in the hands of the Alpine School District. 

What's the deal on staff and volunteers? Why cant we volunteer at the discovery space center?

You can't volunteer at the Discovery Space Center because they are a for profit company.  The Space Center is part of the Alpine School District.  We are non - profit, therefore we can accept volunteers.

Why would the alpine school say no to after school missions? I don't see any problems with earning some extra money...

I don't think their answer will be "No" to us renting the simulators after school, Saturdays and summers; however, our Space EdVentures Foundation will need to arrange a good rental price for it to work.  We can't rent the Space Center for private missions if the rent and / or insurance is too high. 

If you could answer these it would really help me out! Thanks!


Space News

Private Space Plane Poised for Major Test Flight

A private space plane is slated to fly on its own for the first time in the next six to eight weeks, a key drop-test milestone in the vehicle's quest to fly astronauts on roundtrip space missions.  Read On    

Aeroscraft Test Flight Airship

The massive blimp-like aircraft flies but just barely, hovering only a dozen feet off a military hangar floor during flight testing south of Los Angeles.
Still, the fact that the hulking 230-foot-long Aeroscraft could fly for just a few minutes represents a step forward in aviation, according to the engineers who developed it. The Department of Defense and NASA have invested $35 million in the prototype because of its potential to one day carry more cargo than any other aircraft to disaster zones and forward military bases.  Read On


Asteroid to Narrowly Miss Earth

 

The big day is almost here: on Feb. 15, asteroid 2012 DA14 will come extremely close to Earth.
How close exactly? Just 17,200 miles above our planet's surface, according to NASA. That puts the 50-meter-wide space rock nearer to Earth than many satellite orbits.  Read On 


The Imaginarium
Your imagination must be exercised.  Remember to make the ordinary, extraordinary.

Your life story as told by the bathroom toothbrush glass.

Creativity: A

 

A disturbance in the Matrix.

 

A fan made Star Wars Poster.

 

A Proposal, the Creative Way.

 

What to do when bored at work.

 

Fallen Angels

 

The Humane way to hunt.