Another Home Starship Simulator. New Trailer for the Space Thriller Gravity. Space and Science News. The Imaginarium

Hello Troops,
It has come to my attention that there soon will be another private home starship built by one of our Farpoint Cadets.

Mr. Williamson
It all started about a month or two ago.  I was bored out of my mind and sat down at my computer.  I had nothing to do and was think about space camp and so I started programing controls.  I didn't plan to use the controls and didn't know why I was making them, I just wanted to.  When I had a thought.  If I could network these.... and find enough computers... I might, might be able to do a small mission for my cousins.  So I started working on the controls even more and found a PERFECT section in my basement
(its about the exact size of the Phoenix bridge).  I haven't finished them yet, but I'm hoping to finish the controls by the start of school.  I bought some cool rope lights and okay-ed the mission with my parents.  I found 5 or 6 computers I could use.  I'm not sure if Ill do more missions for friends or just end it after this one mission, but I must admit, I cant believe how well everything is working!  I wrote a new mission and made a tactical.  Its funny to think how far I've come, from writing a pointless set of controls to making a working simulator in my basement!  I just wanted to say good luck to Matthew and Aaron, and anyone else making their own "Star ship Simulator"!  Thanks!

-Isaac

Thanks for sharing your story Isaac, and thank you for being one of our top cadet volunteers.

It will be a busy week at both space education centers.  The Discovery Space Center has an overnight camp tonight and a three day Galaxy Camp starting tomorrow.  The CMSEC has an EdVenture Camp starting Friday, ending Saturday morning.

The summer is winding down.  School starts on August 20th (in the Alpine School District).  Time to book your camp or private party before your life is taken over by the bureaucrats.  Visit
spacecamputah.org  to link to both space education centers.      

Mr. Williamson

Hollywood's Next Space Thriller 

New Trailer for Gravity

GRAVITY, directed by Oscar® nominee Alfonso Cuaron, stars Oscar® winners Sandra Bullock and George Clooney in a heart-pounding thriller that pulls you into the infinite and unforgiving realm of deep space. Bullock plays Dr. Ryan Stone, a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (Clooney). But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone—tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth…and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.


Space and Science News

Life Based on Metal and not Carbon? 

Scientists trying to create artificial life generally work under the assumption that life must be carbon-based, but what if a living thing could be made from another element?

One British researcher may have proven that theory, potentially rewriting the book of life. Lee Cronin of the University of Glasgow has created lifelike cells from metal — a feat few believed feasible. The discovery opens the door to the possibility that there may be life forms in the universe not based on carbon, reports New Scientist. Even more remarkable, Cronin has hinted that the metal-based cells may be replicating themselves and evolving.

 "I am 100 percent positive that we can get evolution to work outside organic biology," he said.

Read More

Inside Boeing's New Commercial Space Capsule

From the outside, Boeing’s CST-100 spacecraft model resembles a high-tech gumdrop. On the inside, it’s a spacious, LED-glowing dream. The new commercial vehicle is designed to transport NASA astronauts to and from low Earth orbit. Boeing recently unveiled the interior for the first time.

Bigelow Aerospace constructed the capsule’s exterior shell, which is 14.8 feet wide. Inside the vehicle are two rows of seats for five astronauts. Two additional seats can be added if necessary to fit up to seven passengers.  Read More

Mar's Curiosity Rover Takes Longest Red Planet Drive Yet

This image captured by Curiosity's Mars Hand Lens Imager camera looks toward the south, showing a portion of Mount Sharp and a band of dark dunes in front of the mountain. The photo was taken on the 340th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's work on Mars, shortly after Curiosity finished a 329-foot drive on that sol. Image released on July 23, 2013.  Read More and See More Photos

NASA Photos Show Outburst From 
Potential Comet of the Century

These images from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope of Comet ISON were taken on June 13, 2013, when ISON was 312 million miles (502 million kilometers) from the sun. The lefthand image shows a tail of fine rocky dust issuing from the comet, blown back by the pressure of sunlight. The image at right shows a neutral gas atmosphere surrounding ISON, likely created by carbon dioxide fizzing off the comet at a rate of 2.2 million pounds per day. - See more

I'm thinking I'd like to take this idea (above) and do something similar on the walls of our Control Rooms as a way of keeping track of how many crews we've taken down and how many times we've taken the bridge etc.

Now here's a child that appreciates a good Christmas gift. This kid will make a great
Space Center fan one day.

Imagination in advertising.

Humbling when you stop and think about it.

And finally, a series of painting I classify as brilliant done by a Russian artist. I don't know is name but admire his work. Each painting contains a face, yet it doesn't. The Space Center is all about imagination and creativity. Bravo!