The Troubadour: Dave Daymont Retires From the Space Center. New Earth Like Planet Found! Space News. The Imaginarium.

Dave says goodbye to Ralph the Raptor, one the Phoenix's adorable mascots who started working about the same time as Dave. "I'm gonna miss ya. Think of all the kids we've terrified over the years," he said as he wistfully remembered the good times they had together.

Dave Daymont (aka "Joe") Retires from the Space Center After a Decade of Service

The first official mention of Dave Daymont in the Space Center's old YahooGroup (predecessor to The Troubadour blog)
Dave came onboard to work with Lorraine in the brand new Phoenix which opened at the end of May 2005

It was Bon Voyage for Phoenix flight director Dave Daymont last Thursday. After ten years in the Phoenix it was time for Dave to surrender his microphone to Jon Parker and, with a stiff upper lip, walk away. "Life got busy. It was time to retire," Dave explained. "I wasn't able to take enough missions to stay on top of my game. Time to let the younglings have the hours."

Dave surrendering his microphone to Space Center Asst. Director Jon Parker last Thursday. It was an emotional time for all, except a few of the young Phoenix flight directors. While outwardly displaying sadness for Dave's retirement, I sensed their happiness for the extra hours and a chance to move up the ranks. "That's the way you move up around here," I overheard one of them say near the drinking fountain. "Get rid of the old timers. We move up. Mr. Williamson retired - now we got Mr. Porter. Dave retires and --- I'm In!"

Dave with his second chair Sam, hard at work on Dave's last mission. Dave looked like he had everything under control. There were only a few times when he pushed the wrong button, forgot which character he was playing, called Sam "Miranda", asked where Megan was, asked me when it was time to bring them into the cafeteria for ice cream before bed, and mistakenly switched to Super Nova. Sam did a great job clearing his throat to remind Dave they weren't flying Super Nova.

Dave's Last Crew suffering through a befuddlement.

Dave and Sam did a sugar walk-about before Dave exited the building as a CMSEC flight director for the last time.

While Dave won't be flight directing the Phoenix anymore, he will stay involved in our Project Voyager serving on our creative team, and who knows, you may see him in the new USS Voyager from time to time. Project Voyager is a joint educational initiative between the CMSEC and Farpoint at Renaissance Academy. Now is the time to get involved. The new USS Voyager is nearing completion. Learn all about Project Voyager on our web site.

If you'd like to send Dave a note, email your message to me and I'll forward it on to Dave.
spacecamputah@gmail.com

Thanks,

Mr. Williamson

Watch the final six minutes of Dave's last mission on the Phoenix.

Space and Science News

Crew Change on ISS

Liftoff of Soyuz TMA-17M from Baikonur launch site. NASA TV.

Since the landing of Expedition 43, the International Space Station crew has been reduced to only three occupants: Commander Genady Padalka (Roscosmos), and year-long residents Mikhail Konienko (Roscosmos) and Scott Kelly (NASA), who make up the core of Expedition 44. Blasting off from the Russian space center at Baikonur, the Soyuz FG booster sent the Soyuz spacecraft into a short-duration orbital path to the ISS. After deployment, it was learned that the Soyuz spacecraft could only deploy one of the craft's twin solar panels.

Previous non-deployment of solar panel, this one was TMA-14M.

The Soyuz docked with the ISS, and the action must have jarred something loose as the ISS crew noted that the panel had then deployed. The same event conclusion happened to a previous mission, on Soyuz TMA-14m.

On his way: Astronaut Kjell Lindgren rides the cramped cockpit of a Soyuz spacecraft. The little R2D2 toy at the top of the picture hangs from the control panel during ascent, indicating the acceleration force.