"Four Hours, A Space Trip". A Must See Video on the Space Center.

 

Even Disneyland closes attractions from time to time for repair.

We are in good company :)

 Hello Space Center Fans!

I have a real treat for you today, something to lift your spirits while the Space Center is closed for renovation.  Below is a YouTube video entitled Four Hours, A Space Trip.  This 20 minute video is a documentary on the Space Center filmed by Mark T. Lewis;  Mark was a BYU film student at the time.  This film was his Pièce de résistance while at BYU.  Mark entered Four Hours, A Space Trip  in several student film festivals around the country.  I consider it the best film made on the Space Center.

Four Hours, A Space Trip follows a class of students on their Space Center field trip.   The film starts at their elementary school the morning of their adventure. You ride with them on the bus to the Space Center.  You watch them pull up in front of Central Elementary.  You go into the simulators with them.  You watch them do their best to succeed in a mission called The Children of Perikoi.  You see them stress over decisions and you share in their joy of success.

Our visiting students, the Space Center staff and our young volunteers are the stars of  Four Hours, A Space Trip.  You'll even get to see inside the sacred Control Room and watch Yours Truly in action at the microphone.

Now sit back, relax and enjoy the video.  Please leave a comment telling us your thoughts.

And now, silence in the house.  The lights are dimming; the red velvet curtain is opening, and for Pete's sake, will someone get that crying baby out of the theater!

Mr. Williamson

Jupiter Takes One for the Team and Other Things

Hello Troops,

The video below shows the moment Jupiter was struck by a mighty meteorite yesterday - and our only record of it is this image, captured by a lone webcam chugging away in the early hours of the morning.

As the people of Earth carried out their lives unawares, it seems our gas giant neighbour took a forceful blow to the side at about 11.35am GMT yesterday.

Amateur astronomer George Hall, from Dallas, captured the flash on video at 5:35am CET - but he only went to check his footage after hearing online that another astronomer, watching the planet with his own eyes, saw the huge explosion bloom out of Jupiter in the blink of an eye.

Jupiter has been known as the 'cosmic vacuum cleaner' of the solar system.

The planet's mass and large orbit sweeps up the scattered meteors that are relics from the early days of our solar system formation, with the planet either 'taking the bullet' itself, or deflecting orbits away from the inner planets.

Many astronomers believe life would not have got started on Earth with Jupiter's influence - and before our solar system settled down, Earth was frequently bombarded with giant impacts.

An Update

Other than Jupiter's gallant heroism there is no other news to report from the Space Center.  Our Center is closed for maintenance and renovation.  The renovation hasn't started and I'm not sure a contractor has been hired. The renovation is under the direction of the school district's maintenance department.  We hope for the best.   Until then, we soldier on.  I'm continuing to teach my math class at Central and helping the principal and teachers at Shelley Elementary.  

I'm pleased to report that Jon Parker, Voyager Flight Director, has found a new job at the Common Sense Gas Station in north Orem.  He'd love to see anyone from the Space Center (campers included) so the next time you need gas, stop at the Common Sense and look for Jon.   Megan (Phoenix Flight Director) is substitute teaching.  Ben (Galileo Simulator) has also found a good job with better pay.  Our other flight directors and supervisors are actively looking for jobs, so let me know if you or someone you know is looking for an outstanding employee. 

I'm beginning to fear we won't have a staff left when the Space Center's key is returned and we are cleared to open.  Training new staff will take an additional couple of months.


 And now, let's stroll through the Imaginarium to find something creative.... 

A perfect disguise for a door's view hole

Yes boys, we are to be gentlemen and scholars

The Freak Show at the Utah State Fair

So don't waste your one life.

Why take the stairs?

The Time Travelers Gather

Christmas is a few months away.  Have anyone in mind for this stocking stuffer?

The Founders of Hogwarts

Another summer like the one we are in and this business will be

the perfect investment.

Who could throw this away? 

Perfect concept in advertising.

Imagination and creativity:  A

Someone just blew their diet.

Monday morning back to work and school. Right?

That's it, hold your conservative community hostage.

Planet Suckers.

Imagination: B

This one if for Emily, our Odyssey Set Director

And put so nicely with such a warm font.

The grass isn't always greener on the other side.
Enjoy what you have.

Into the Danger Zone

Launch of the Atlas V carrying the RBSP probes from 

pad SLC-41 at Cape Canaveral.

There are so many rocket launches these days from America, Russia, Japan, China and the European space agency that it's hard to keep up with everything that's going up! Most of the satellites launched into orbit are communication satellites or secret national defense satellites (read: SPY satellites). So it's a notable event when we get a launch that sends probes to explore a science project. In this case, NASA has launched a pair of satellites into one of the most dangerous areas of outer space: Earth's Van Allen Radiation Belts.

Computer graphic of the radiation belts around the Earth.

On August 30th, NASA launched the twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RRBSP) directly into an orbit intercepting the radiation belts. Named after Dr. James Van Allen, the scientist who discovered the belts (using Americans very first satellite, Explorer I), the donut-shaped belts are danger zones of highly-charged particles that can cause harm to satellites and astronauts placed into the wrong orbits. Even though we've known about these belts since their discovery at the beginning of the space age, we' don't understand a lot about how they work when they are hit by powerful blasts of solar wind and storms.

Graphic of the RBSP's flying into the danger zones.

Especially designed to be protected from the energetic particles, the RBSP's will orbit ( separate orbits) into the active zones of the Belts, and measure the interaction of particles when the belts encounter solar flares, solar storms, and the solar wind. They will detect and measure electric and magnetic fields, count energetic particles, and probe plasma waves in various frequencies. The mission is scheduled to last for two years. TO learn more, check out the report on the mission by SpaceFlight Now 

By Mark Daymont

Space Center Educator