The Troubadour

Friday, June 21, 2013

Over the Hill, and I've Got the Lanyard to Prove It. Space News. The Imaginarium.

My very own Space Camp lanyard is the newest addition to my collection of Space Center odds and ends.

Last week I went to the Space Center to write a Troubadour post on the first summer camp of the 2013 season. Megan Warner had just signed in her last camper. She stood in front of the assembled group composing her thoughts before opening the camp with her version of my 23 year old Welcome to Camp speech. I watched from behind the red curtain. I knew seeing me might cause Megan to break out with a serious case of nervous stuttering - the very purpose for my visit (that, and to highlight our Farpoint Cadets working the camp). I stepped through the stage curtain and sat down next to a small group of boys. The campers turned and looked at me strangely. They were young and new to the Space Center. To them, I was just a weird old man who looked like he was going to join them for the camp.

"Who's he?" one girl asked her friend. They sat on the next riser down to my far right.

"He's not part of the workers. He's not wearing one of their shirts," her friend answered while addressing my presence with an evil, protective eye.

Megan smiled. Refusing to let my sudden appearance throw her off her game, she went back to the sign in table, filled out a name tag, attached it to a lanyard, walked up the risers and gave it to me. The look on the other camper's faces went from questioning to worry.

"Troops, this is Mr. Williamson. He started the Space Center a long time ago. Everybody say Hello Mr. Williamson." Megan's introduction replaced worry with smiles.

"Hello Mr. Williamson," the group welcomed me enthusiastically. Both Megan and Aleta smiled. It wasn't a welcome, long time no see, smile. It was more of a "we got ya" smile. Had I been sabotaged? I looked down at my lanyard. Megan had answered my sudden appearance with a well played shot of her own.

Rank: Infinite.

Points: Infinite.

Age: Over the Hill.

Good Job Megan. Again, a perfect addition to my collection of Space Center memorabilia.

Thank you
Mr. W.

50 Years Ago: Tiros System keeps advancing

Duplicate of Tiros satellite used in public exhibitions across America.

It's worth remembering, so close to the beginning of the hurricane season, that we've only had weather satellites in orbit of Earth for a little over 50 years. On June 19, 1963, NASA launched TIROS 7, a 42 inch diameter, 270 pound marvel of 1960's technology. Liftoff was on a Thor-Able rocket from Launch Complex 17 at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Thor-Able rocket. Forerunner of the Delta family of rockets.

Tiros 7 continued the use of two camera systems to record cloud cover and track storms, but also borrowed from an Explorer 17 satellite to include new measurements on temperatures in space and infrared reflections of solar and terrestrial radiation. It would last the longest of the many Tiros satellites, until June of 1968. On its first orbit, its camera 2 detected a cloud vortex over Newfoundland and within an hour had pictures transmitted to ground engineers for analysis.

By Mark Daymont
Farpoint Station Educator

The Imaginarium
Making the ordinary, extraordinary every day.

What's happening on level 6?

Not exactly how I would describe the movie, but it works.

Creativity: A

The French Preparing for War

Taking Notes

Yep, summer school

Ready for museum display

An imagination alive and well.
We need more of this in everybody

Random things can make your day

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Farpoint Cadets Work the CMSEC's First Ultimate Camp. New Astronauts Hired. The Imaginarium.

Hello Troops,
Several of the Space EdVentures Foundation's Farpoint Cadets participated in the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center's first summer camp of the 2013 season. On Monday, our cadets volunteered from 7:00 P.M. to 10:30 P.M. They camp back Tuesday and worked from 7:00 A.M. to 10:30 P.M . On Wednesday they started the day at 7:00 A.M. and finished the camp at 10:00 A.M. That's 22 hours of volunteering! I'd call that dedication, just what you'd expect from a Farpoint Cadet.

I'm impressed with the quality of our cadets. They're intelligent, disciplined, motivated and eager to help where ever there is a need.

"Mr. Williamson, how many times a week can we volunteer?" one of the cadets asked me at our last Farpoint Cadet meeting at Renaissance Academy two weeks ago. This is another example of dedication and motivation.

"Well, they need our cadets at both the Discovery Space Center and the Christa McAuliffe Center, so you guys are in demand, however I don't want you to volunteer to the point you start burning out," I replied. "Remember, you're a Farpoint Cadet and Farpoint will need you as we build our own program this coming school year. So, DON'T BURN OUT."

Meet our Farpoint Cadet Ultimate Camp Volunteers

Katie greeted campers at the school's front door. Katie was the right person for the job.
Your front door greeter needs to have a happy, friendly personality.

NOT Farpoint Cadets. This is Connor and Zac. They work at the CMSEC.
Both of them got their jobs because of volunteer service. Working hard brings opportunities
Connor is a flight director and supervisor at both the DSC and the CMSEC. Zac is the
Magellan Set Director.

Farpoint Cadet Spencer played the Friendly Hallway Pointer. His job was to
direct the campers to the gym to sign into the camp.

Cadet Ethan met the campers at the gym's door and pointed them toward the sign in table

Isaac, Daxon and Dakota were the camp's official signer inners. They had to
question the campers about their previous missions and fill out and give each camper
a Rank Paper to take to the CMSEC's director, Megan Warner. Megan really
appreciated the extra help our Cadet's provided.

Our Cadets are seen signing in the arriving campers. Does something seem a bit odd to you?

Yep, they're sitting on the old stools from the Voyager's Galley. Perhaps a bit
uncomfortable, but the stools did the job. Besides, they made our Cadets appear
taller than the campers. That's a good thing.

CMSEC Director, Megan Warner finishing up the signing in process and giving the camper's
their name tags.

I got a bit bored covering the signing in process, so I went on the hunt for a few interesting pictures of the staff.

Phoenix Flight Director Dave Daymont

I found Dave Daymont wandering the halls looking..... well, you can see for yourself. Mr. Daymont's had a busy week. He and his wife moved into a new home last weekend. That's enough to stress anyone out. Dave appearance may also be attributed to the fact that the Phoenix's air conditioner was on the fritz, so he had to fly a five hour mission in over 80 degrees! Yea, I'd look like that too if it were me.

Everyone of my 23 summers as Director of the CMSEC had air conditioner issues. It goes with the job. What can I say? We were rough on our air conditioners, running them all hours of the day summer AND winter.

Aleta Clegg

I found Aleta Clegg in the hall behind Mr. Daymont. I knew why she was happy.

"I'm not in the kitchen!" She exclaimed with a smile stretching from ear to ear. "My first summer in years and years where I'm not cooking the summer camp meals!"

Aleta wore many hats at the Space Center when I was the Director. She wrote curriculum, taught the field trip classes, taught the merit badge classes and ran the summer camp kitchen.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"My kids are on this camp, so I'm here to volunteer. I can do that now!" she explained.

Jacqueline

Everybody was happy to get the first camp started, even Jacqueline. Jacqueline's job was to collect the parent permission forms.

Cadets Nolan and Daxon waiting to get to work in the Phoenix Control Room.

Cadet's Spencer and Katie in the Magellan

Our Cadets know that smart volunteers make good volunteers. I found four of them in the Magellan learning the Magellan Bridge stations so they could help with camper training.

Cadet Ethan is explaining the Magellan Security Station to his supervisor.

Dakota learning the Magellan's Damage Control Station

The Campers are all here. The CMSEC staff celebrate.
Miranda, Nathan, Jacqueline, and Connor

Nolan and Daxon

Nolan and Daxon don't know what to make of the celebration. Daxon smiles and Nolan wonders where Connor got that pose.

Daxon Discovers the Klingon Batliff. Isaac warns him to be careful and not poke his eye out

Megan Warner opens her first camp as the CMSEC's new Director.
I did that for 23 years. Now it her job and she's doing great!

The CMSEC's first Ultimate Camp.
(With the biggest kid of them all in attendance)

Jon Parker

My job was finished. I went to the CMSEC to document our Farpoint Cadet's first Ultimate Camp and I did just that.
"You're not leaving until you get a picture of me." Jon voice was determined. He stood blocking my escape. "You got a picture of everyone else, but not me."

I took a picture of Jon. He was happy and he let me go.

It was weird walking away from the Space Center at the start of a summer camp. For 23 years I was always the one in charge and now, I'm retired. I'm happy to report that the nostalgia was gone by the time I got to my car. I know the Space Center is in good hands. It's being run by a staff of people who care and want it to succeed.

Are you interested in attending a CMSEC summer camp? Visit their web site and register. It will be the funnest thing you do all summer! spacecenter.alpineschools.org

Are you interested in becoming a Farpoint Cadet? Farpointstation.org

Mr. W.

Space and Science News

NASA Hires New Astronauts
Will These be the Ones Who Go to Mars?

It’s been two years since NASA’s space shuttle program came to an end, but thousands of Americans still dream of becoming astronauts. Eight of them – four men and four women – were introduced Monday as NASA’s astronaut candidate class for 2013.

More than 6,300 people applied to become astronauts-in-training, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said in a video announcement. That is the second-most applications the space agency has ever received, according to a NASA statement.

The Imaginarium

Make the ordinary, extraordinary

Assignment, do something wildly creative with a pot hole. Ready...... Set..... Go