InfiniD Learning is Now Mission.io. The Christa McAuliffe Space Center's Planetarium Has New Colored Lasers. World War I is Going Well for Germany (for now). The Space Place Voyagers Make a Great Tech Crew. Imaginarium Theater

      Last month I stopped by InfiniD Learning in Provo to do a recording.  I'm the voice of the computer in all InfiniD missions. While there I was told in the strictest confidence that InfiniD Learning would be changing its name to Mission.io.  Brooks Heder explained that while cool, InfiniD always had one problem - spelling.  People misspelled InfiniD when searching for the web site.  They knew the name had to change, but to what.  After considerable brainstorming, they came to the realization that the word "Mission" had everything they needed. 

     The word "Mission" was the word I used for adventures in the Starship Voyager back when I founded the Space Center. The name stuck and is used at every Space EdVenture Center and Dream Flight Adventures today as you can see in Dream Flight's web site menu bar. 

     "Missions" has always been the word InfiniD used as well for their adventures.  The InfiniD team made the decision to change the name to something easy to remember, easy to spell, and rich in space center lore. Their next problem was a website domain.  Searching "Mission" led to a dead end.  There wasn't a URL available so they went searching to buy one.  With a bit of luck, and some cash, they found the owner of Mission.io and the owner was willing to sell for an undisclosed amount of cash. 
     With a new name and website in place, the InfiniD team went looking for a new logo.  That wasn't too difficult considering InfiniD has on its payroll excellent graphic artists for their missions.  The new logo was created and the company was ready to launch

      My Young Astronauts and Voyagers at Renaissance Academy love the new video opening to the missions.  We do the missions religiously as part of our after school club meetings.  

     Congratulations Mission.io.  Speaking as someone who has been with you since the beginning, I think it is fantastic. Keep up the good work and please give that guy who does your computer voice a big pay raise.  Mission.io missions are nothing without that calm, soothing voice guiding the younglings through wild adventures through space and the inner body.  

The Christa McAuliffe Space Center's New Planetarium Laser Lights

 

     There is one thing you can always count on when it comes to the Christa McAuliffe Space Center, improvements are always happening.  Whether it is new lighting controls in the simulators, new missions, new planetarium shows, new laser rock and roll shows in the planetarium, or all these new color lights in the planetarium installed this weekend - we never rest.  
     Take a look at the video below to see this new lighting element for the laser shows.  

     If you haven't been to the Space Center's planetarium for a laser show, then time to remedy that right now.  Go to the website spacecenter.alpineschools.org to book a ticket and bring the family as well.  Don't forget, the planetarium does some pretty cool stars shows as well.  Imagine having something like The Christa McAuliffe Space Center right here in Utah County.  Take advantage of this great educational and entertainment facility. 

The Power of Educational Simulations

     I've taught using simulations since my student teaching days at Central Elementary in March 1983.  Because of my love of using simulations, I became enamored with using them to teach space and history. We all know what became of that fascination :)

     Fast forward to today. In addition to my work at The Space Place at Renaissance Academy and The Christa McAuliffe Space Center, I also teach 6th grade math and history. Rignt now my two history classes are neck deep in reenacting World War I.  My classroom has been sectioned into Imperial Germany under Kaiser Ezra, Great Britain, France, Russia and the United States.  Kaiser Ezra rules the German citizens, and using his power of taxation, he generates a budget to keep Germany in the war. Our economy is based on classroom currency. Students earn the currency through grades, behavior, and projects.  

     Every morning the Kaiser (purple hoodie) and his top military aides meet before school to review the latest maps.  Policy is driven based on the maps and what information his spies are able to collect from their opposing nations. 

     Everything seems to be going well for Germany - at the moment.  But we all know what happens in the end.  This week the Lusitania will sink and sadly things will go downhill from that point on.  The real drama happens during the Weimar republic when hyperinflation sets in.  Things will get ugly and there will be tears.  

Our Space Place Voyagers Did an Excellent Job Providing the Tech Crew for Renaissance Academy's School Play

     Six of our Renaissance Academy Voyagers made up the tech crew for Renaissance Academy's 3rd - 5th grade play over the weekend. They did an excellent job running the lights and sound with only a couple slight mistakes (nearly causing everyone in the gym to go deaf :)  They volunteered their time over the last couple months attending hours of rehearsals and procuring needed equipment.  
     I watched them from behind the scenes Saturday night. I confess, that sound board looked very tempting.  Who wouldn't want to reach over and start pushing buttons and messing with the dials.  It was all I could take to keep my hands to myself.  I think Canon was on to me. He kept glancing back to see what I was doing.

Waiting for Passengers

     Here is something crews see every time they arrive at the Space Center.  The day's flight directors huddled near the lobby desk waiting for the lobby person to give them the thumps up that their crew has arrived and is ready to depart.  Their topic of conversation on Saturday was how to run landing parties out of the ships when the school's gym and hallways were off limits due to Central's school play and the concession stand. 

     Baby Boomers like myself pride ourselves on not getting offended over minor things like may of the snowflake generation but I regret saying that I was nearly offended when I saw this Utah State sign outside Mr. Porter's office at the Space Center.  Utah State is Mr. Porter's alma mater but does he not know that this is BYU country?  What is a proud BYU graduate from the class of 1983 suppose to do about this?  Should I demand equal representation?  I'm sure there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for this so I'll withhold judgement and shelve my offense for now until more information is forthcoming.  While I wait I'll prepare my BYU sign to have at the ready. 

 

Imaginarium Theater

The Week's Best Videos From Around the World Edited for a Gentler Audience.

 

Imaginarium Theater. March 25, 2024 from SpaceCampUtah's Imaginarium on Vimeo.