The Old Magellan's Last Mission, And Other News.

Hello Troops,
We're cocooned in marshmallow today in northern Utah. The sky is white and heavy. Its raining. I look at that as a blessing. Let it snow in the mountains and rain in the valleys. That is my definition of a perfect winter.

The Space Center officially closed for Christmas Vacation yesterday at 5:15 P.M. Jon Parker's voice was the last heard over one of our five microphones. His Voyager crew arrived 15 minutes late so, being full of Christmas cheer, Jon extended their mission an additional 15 minutes. We're like that at the Space Center. We bend backwards for our visitors, even at our own cost. We've a reputation to uphold. So, what happens at the Center over the next two weeks?

• Maintenance comes first. Kyle has returned from BYU Idaho to spend one week doing maintenance projects in the ships.
  
• I'll meet with the Flight and Set Directors to map out our summer camp schedule.
  
• Summer missions will also be on our agenda.
  
• Voyager Controls is something else I'll be working on with assistance from Emily and Jon. Our programmers are finishing up our new Cocoa controls for the Galileo. The Voyager is next.

Yesterday I made the decision not to convert the Voyager to iPads. We met for a couple hours with our Programming Guild listening to the pros and cons. In the end the cards weren't there for an all iPad ship. We will forge ahead with a new set of controls based on the Guild's Mercury Server. I want to thank Tod Hadley for attending. His input was valuable.

One good thing to come from the meeting is my desire to use iPads throughout the simulator for special activities and projects. The 2011 Voyager will be quite the ship when we finish with it.

In closing, I'd like to show you the pictures I took of the staff and volunteers that worked the last mission of the old Magellan before it was torn apart and the new Magellan built. The day after these pictures were taken construction on the new set began. A few months later, the new Magellan opened for the summer season.

Please forgive the photograph's resolution. They were taken with the Space Center's first digital camera. The faces are fuzzy but our old timers will recognized the staff and volunteers that worked that last mission.

Jackson Miller (Center)

One of the volunteers you'll see in these pictures passed away with cancer two years ago. Jackson loved the Space Center, and in his memory, his family sponsors a special yearly Space Center field trip for the Rowland Hall 5th graders.

Jackson was an awesome kid who worked whenever he could while he suffered through his cancer treatments. He worked his last mission about six months before he died. All his hair was gone, but his spirits were high.

Jackson, and the millions of people like him around the world, who face and fight deadly diseases are my true heroes.

And now, the Old Magellan's Last Mission....





For a quick chuckle, take a moment and go to the link below and watch this short Christmas video I posted on my Cloverdale Blog (The Village I created populated with the kind of people I understand). I think it would be cool if we made a video like this to advertise the Space Center - you know - old school. What do you think?

http://ourcloverdale.blogspot.com

Have a Great Weekend!
Mr. W.

A New Simulator in Logan?

by James Porter

There is a rumor going around that we are going to build a simulator in Logan. So where is this simulator going to be located? One idea that has been proposed for our program is to convert the main computer lab at the school (Thomas Edison Charter School) into a part time simulator. The design would allow it to still function as a computer lab, but in the evenings, weekends, and summers it will be able to take students on adventures into space.


In order for the lab to be able to function as a simulator there are going to need to be some big changes. One of the biggest is the addition of a wall to separate the control room from the bridge. There will also be a new lighting system, audio equipment, and general aesthetic elements such as paint to help create the atmosphere of being in a star ship. Their are other elements we hope to add to the simulator as we generate funds from running flights, but these are the basics we believe are needed to get a ship up and running.

The controls of the ship are currently being developed as part of the Openstardrive.org project led by Allan Stewart and Dave Wall. The open source programs will be able to run on the computers currently being used at the school instead of having to buy new systems.We are very excited by this prospect and the amazing opportunity we have been given to work with them and the aide they are providing us.

Here are some images that show how the simulator might appear in the future. On the left is a possible layout for desks, but more importantly shows the additional wall. The others are images from inside the simulator and control room. We'd love to have the new desks, but most likely they are a little further down the road.

In order for us to make these changes to the lab as well as purchase the necessary equipment to run the simulator, it is going to take some funds. We need the skills to build a wall or the money to pay someone to do it, not forgetting the actual materials as well. With the increase of equipment we will also be running some new electrical outlets and the lighting system. If you know someone who can help us with these tasks please contact us. The great thing about this project is that our estimates are showing a very attainable fund raising goal. We'll keep you posted on our progress.

James Porter
http://cachevalleysimulator.blogspot.com/2010/12/lab-conversion.html

The Opposites of Life.

We tolerate days like this....

So we can live for days like this......