Happy Mother's Day Space Center Moms! David Kyle (The Fish) Herring Recalled to Active Duty. The Cobra Squadron, Will They Survive the LDM? The Magellan Gets a New Camera System. Theater Imaginarium.

The Happy Space Center Volunteers!

A Flock of Happy Space Center Volunteers Wish All the Space Center Moms a Happy Mother's Day!

Look at those happy faces; and why shouldn't they be? They're volunteering at one of the happiest places on Earth - The Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center.  We all know desire plays a role in a happy volunteer. We all understand that dedication and commitment are also essential in a volunteer's success.  But let's not forget the most important factor in a volunteer's experience, a loving mother who is willing to support her child by 1) letting him or her volunteer, and 2) running the shuttle service back and forth, sometimes at the strangest of times.  

Happy Mother's Day Space Center Moms! The following is for you...    

David (Kyle) Herring, Recalled from Retirement to Help Finish the USS Voyager

David Kyle Herring and Alex Anderson Team Up to Finish the Voyager

The new USS Voyager needs a few finishing touches before we can certify the ship space worthy. Alex Anderson has been working on the programming side of things, but what about all the other odds and ends needing done construction and set design wise? Who is going to do that?  

In times past, David Kyle Herring was THAT guy.  He supervised the construction of the CMSEC's Galileo, Phoenix, and Magellan simulators. It was his job to ensure the ships were built and operational. I had enough on my plate just running the Space Center's day to day operations, let alone bird dog and manage every aspect of ship construction and maintenance.  

On April 29th, the searchlight atop Renaissance Academy shot the image of a hammer and tape measure into the sky. And just like the Batman, Kyle responded to the call.  He came by, took stock of the situation, and agreed to take on the job.     

Kyle getting ready to install new lighting on the Voyager's Bridge. The ship was too dark for classroom use. 

Kyle was on the job all week. Weekends? Who needs them.  Kyle was on the job yesterday. He is committed to getting the Voyager open by the end of May. We have several hundred students anxiously awaiting their deep space expeditions.  There isn't a moment to spare. 

In Alex and Kyle, we have a real dynamic duo.  

Welcome to Renaissance Academy Kyle Herring.      

The Voyager Club's Cobra Squadron Brings Round Three in This Year's LDM to an End. 

Yesterday saw the end to the third round of missions in this school year's Voyager Club Long Duration Mission.  The Cobra Squadron, under Tate R's steady and calm command, faced unbelievable odds and..... and.....  Let's let these few pictures tell their story. 

Flight Director and Voyager Club Awesome Volunteer, Connor Larsen, advises and blames (see outstretched finger).

"What, not another Red Alert?"  Strangely enough, the Cobras seem undisturbed by the chaos surrounding them

The Magellan can only take so much. It's strong, but the Cobra's may have pushed the ship well beyond its design limits!

There is something disturbing seeing a bridge crew NOT manning their stations on a Federation Starship
A sure sign something has gone terribly wrong. 

The Voyager Club's Cobra Squadron

I'll let the pictures tell the Cobra's story. Suffice to say, they have one member of the crew still conscious and able to work.  He'd better be quick footed to navigate a body littered deck.  Good luck Cobras. If you thought Round 3 was rough, it will seem like a walk in the park compared to Round 4 coming at ya fast!

The Magellan's New Cameras

Amazing! Wonderful! Breathtaking!  
All words used by the majority of the Magellan's staff and volunteers in describing the Magellan's new camera system recently installed.  "We can actually see the crew," said one flight director, not wanting to be too critical of the ship's old camera system - which basically showed gray shadows moving across a dark screen.  "This'll help us in the missions big time!"

The campers may not be too happy with the cameras. Being able to see where they are all the time makes the staff and volunteer's job of bridge take overs easier.  Some of the staff may not be overjoyed with the new surveillance system either.  The old camera system was so dark it made it difficult for the flight director to tell whether or not his or her bridge supervisor was on top of things or catching a few winks in a off camera corner (an old trick the Voyager supervisors use to pull on me from time to time).    

Theater Imaginarium