Contact Victor Williamson with your questions about simulator based experiential education programs for your school.
SpaceCampUtah@gmail.com

Thursday, July 4, 2013

The Stadium of Horrors. More Volunteering Stories from our Cadets. The Imaginarium

Hello Troops,
Happy Independence Day!
A short post today so I can sit beside a sizzling barbecue while downing a triple bypass burger dripping with melted cheese.  I add so much to my burgers they require scaffolding just to remain upright.  Its rumored that ten of my triple bypass burgers could feed a small African country for a week.

Yes, there will be Diet Dew on hand, bone chilled to perfection.  I keep a broom handle next to my lawn chair for two reasons: It helps me walk after eating my weight in cattle, and, when swung regularly in a circular motion, is effective at keeping the gazillion younglings in our extended family at bay.

Pleasant Grove is a great town with its own fireworks show.  The city doesn't try to compete with the Stadium of Fire.  It caters to people like me who've done the Stadium and have sworn never to do it again. The first time I went to the Stadium of Horrors a firework casing hit me in the head, nearly knocking me out of my chair.  The second time I had the misfortune of sitting on the stadium floor.  I had buy ear plugs with my decaff Coke from BYU concessions to keep from going deaf.  Add the smoke and the midnight traffic jam, and you have properly envisioned the Stadium of Horror.

Today we have another volunteering story from one of our cadets.  

Hi! I'm Miranda,
Probably one of the staff members you'll look at... and laugh. Which is good! I love the simulators. Period. I think they're fantastic. I love the deep blue lights that mask the real color of things, I love how for first time campers, who are willing to let the magic over take them, the transports are disconcerting and are the first part of making them feel like they've left their life behind for at least 2 and half hours. I'm happy if I'm flying, doing 2nd chair, acting, and often times, even watching.
I have lots of random stories that may or may not make you giggle. Unfortunately, I can't cohesively think of any currently. If you fly with me, you're bound to hear at least one! (If not, ask for one while we clean up the ship, I'll be more than happy to try to think of one to tell you :) )
I LOVE volunteering! For those who enjoy acting and improv, volunteering can be the ULTIMATE place to practice and increase your ability in different types of acting parts and with thinking quick on your feet. Even with working in the control room, you can learn so much about a mission (especially helpful if you're doctor) it also ends up being a great laugh, because someone will say something and the laughing begins. Besides that, volunteering is a great way to learn amazing work ethic and helps you no matter where you decide to take your future.
I'll be the first to admit that sometimes missions can be difficult, for many different reasons. We all mess up from time time (all of us, everyone that works at the Space Centers.) Even if it whatever the mistake is, seems like the worse thing in the world at the time. It's okay. It'll always blow over in the end. Trust me. If a volunteer can come back from unplugging the Galileo control room in the middle of a flight, you can come back from anything! (Yes, I did unplug the Galileo Control Room my first time flying with the Flight Director who had the flight. We are now friends, and giggle about it.) Also, as long as your shirt is on the right way, you're golden!
Miranda.

The Imaginarium
Make the ordinary, extraordinary 

A perfect name for a florist shop

If land were water and water was land








You want to talk imagination?  Look at these high school fashions from 1969.  Have a laugh at your parent's or grandparent's expense.
















That's all you get to chose from:  14 pancakes or 155.


Creative towel folding in an upscale hotel



Me

A Russian monument to the contributions lab rats make to science 

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Space Center Staff and Volunteers Make the News Again. Space and Science News. See 100,000 Stars in 3D. The Imaginarium


Imagination lets us see a time beyond our horizon

Hello Troops,
Happy Wednesday and Independence Day Eve.

What do you think of the picture above?  Looking at it makes me wish my birthday was June 24, 2213 instead of 1958, but fate decided otherwise and here I am.

Those of us living today have a responsibility to those who come after us.  We have an obligation to open the universe to them so they can do what we only dream of doing today - flying to distant stars on majestic starships.

We stitch the future together with our actions and decisions; so let us make the right decisions today.  Let us strengthen the economy.  Let us get our nation's debt under control.  Let us invest in science, technology and medicine.  Let us establish a human presence on the Moon and Mars.  Let us begin doing great things with a vision outward and a selfless attitude toward our resources.  The future holds promise for everyone if you contribute to this great society.  Make good decisions.  Be responsible for those decision and use your resources for the common good.

Morgan Mitchell, Justin Meiners and Victor Yu are examples of Space Center staff and volunteers who are making a difference.  They are visionaries who use their talents to ensure a bright future for all.

I asked Morgan to write the following email for the blog.  Please take a minute to read it and celebrate their accomplishments with me.

Mr. W.


Hi Everyone!

Mr. Williamson asked me to write a post about this weekend's events in Anaheim, California. This past weekend a couple of Space Center kids were invited to attend the National Leadership Conference for Future Buisness Leaders of America. It was a blast being half a mile from Disneyland, driving to the beach, and attempting to fit in pools and elevators with 8,000 other high school students in the same location. 



To be invited to the Conference you must place first or second in your event at the state level (which was back in March). Among those of us in attendance were as follows:

Victor Yu
Victor just graduated high school (Orem) and has been a Space Center volunteer for a few years. Victor is heading to college in the fall. He plans to major in something technology/science related. Victor placed 9th (in the nation) in his event; Computer Applications. 




Justin Meiners
Justin also just graduated from high school (Mountain View) and is a part of the Space Center's programming guild. He will be going on a mission this fall to Northern California. When he returns he will be attending school at Utah State studying Computer Engineering. Justin was a finalist for his event (top 15 in the nation); Desktop Application Programming.

Morgan N. Mitchell
I am not going to write this in third person because that would be weird….
I just graduated from Park City High School and I will be headed to Massachusetts in the fall to study Aerospace Engineering (and Robotics) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. I have been a Space Center volunteer throughout high school braving the hour drive from my house (each direction). I competed in the Job Interview event and I was honored to be named 1st place (in the nation). 

These results show just how important the Space Center is. Only a few students from Utah even placed at Nationals, almost half of which were us CMSEC kids. Also looking back at Sterling Scholar earlier in the year: the vast majority of Computer Technology finalists (winners and runner-ups) were CMSEC kids. Mr. Williamson has made a change in the world. He has helped so many of us try new things and find out who we truly are in the process. Thank you Mr. W. 




FBLA is a high school club that I would recommend everyone should get involved in if you can. There are lots of different events including: speaking events, team events, written/multiple choice tests, presentations, etc…. It is all encompassing of the business world so you can do anything from a technology related event, to a community service project, to a school subject test (like economics or math), and the list goes on and on. 

If you are interested in checking out more information about FBLA here is the website: 

The video of the awards ceremony is also online and a list of the winners. They are both in alphabetical order of event names:

I have also attached some pictures of the weekend.

Thanks for all of your support!


- Morgan 

Space and Science News

In Saturn's Rings


South African filmmaker Stephen van Vuuren is currently working on an IMAX production called In Saturn's Rings in which he's stitched, processed, and animated over a million images to give viewers a remarkable sense of motion and full immersion. The result can only be described as spectacular.

This is Beyond Cool.  Take a 3D Tour of the Nearest 100,000 Stars





If you have ever thought about space and wished you could travel to, say, the nearest 100,000 stars, this is for you. It’s an interactive 3D visualization of our stellar neighborhood, with our sun in the middle. You can click on a star to get a close-up of it (with amazing graphics and detail) and a quick description of the star. You can click on the “Take a Tour" button and be guided through a quick trip through space which starts at our Sun, and ends at the edge of our galaxy, the Milky Way. You may also toggle a spectral index, allowing you to get a visualization of how hot the stars are! Here is a screenshot of our Sun I took on my virtual trip through the cosmos:

Travel Our Stellar Neighborhood (in 3D!)
http://workshop.chromeexperiments.com/stars/




The Imaginarium
Are you making the ordinary, extraordinary every day?

A lesson in gravity in 3, 2, 1....




A Mannequin's head in the ceiling.  Great Way to Make the Day Interesting








A Miracle.  Walking on Water



Tuesday, July 2, 2013

The Imaginarium is Back in Business. A Story from a Cadet. Space and Science News.

Hello Troops,
Yes, I'm back from my first vacation in four years!
It was fun and relaxing, but I'm glad to be back.  The world can only go so long without the power of the Imaginarium!

A little over a week ago I asked our Farpoint Cadets to send in a few stories and observations about volunteering at the two space centers.  Tonight I'm going to share one of those emails.

From Bradyn S.

So, there I was. I'd just woken up on a beautiful Thursday morning, thinking about my last observation at Central that night. That led me to think of the Cadet meeting the previous day, in which Mr. Williamson had said, "Just before you leave to volunteer, check the schedule to make sure your flight has not been canceled." Or something similar to that.
    My mission wasn't for about 10 hours, but I thought I'd be able to get a few brownie points just by checking. I scrolled down to "Thursday" on the volunteering schedule. I expected to see "Galileo CMSEC 6:30-9:00." I didn't. I was then sent into a frenzied panic, quickly scrolling up and down the list to find any last minute observation spots. I didn't. But, there was a field trip that morning...
    I left a quick message at Central explaining everything (okay, maybe it wasn't THAT quick), then took off to the Magellan. The only thing I was nervous about was, "We will not let you volunteer at Central without having both your observations done," Megan had said at the Cadet meeting. But I had no other option, hoping Megan would let me volunteer, but count it as an observation.
    I arrived, turned right twice into the Discovery room, found Megan, and explained everything. "What? I never cancelled that mission! You're talking about the one on the Galileo tonight?" Megan asked, confused.
 
"Yes..." I answered, confused as well."Some one better not be cancelling my flights," Megan said. "So, can I still volunteer for this field trip, then?" I asked, knowing I had nothing much to do that morning, anyway. "Yes," she said, as I relaxed, "and as far as I'm concerned, the flight is still on tonight."
    Once I got back, I checked my e-mail. Mr. Williamson's name was in my Inbox. I clicked on the message, and it read 
 
    "Sorry Bradyn,
The Galileo is still flying tonight.
It was taken off by my mistake.
                     Mr. Williamson."

Yes Bradyn,  even Mr. W makes the odd mistake here and there.


Space and Science News



Scientific American features a fun, new, science-related activity every Thursday that parents and their six- to 12-year-olds can do together. Adults will find easy-to-follow instructions and simple materials lists as well as additional background to help them explain the key concepts. We hope you enjoy, as science begins in the home.  








Mars One


This image depicts the interior of a Mars One habitat as envisioned by its designers.

Mars One aims to establish a permanent human settlement on Mars in 2023, requiring no return mission, and radiation fears shouldn't hold that back, explains Bas Lansdorp, Mars One co-founder and CEO, in this op-ed article:  http://oak.ctx.ly/r/725l

It's official! Two tiny moons orbiting the dwarf planet Pluto finally have new names: Styx and Kerberos. http://oak.ctx.ly/r/720c




A Russian rocket exploded in a massive fireball late Monday (July 1), destroying three navigation satellites after a failed launch that appeared to veer out of control shortly after liftoff and crash back to Earth. http://oak.ctx.ly/r/71px


The Imaginarium
We are back with more of the ordinary, transplanted with organs from the extraordinary.

How Retirement makes me feel :)

This is some serious hopscotch



The world's largest rock climbing wall in the Netherlands

Found at an airport

Science can fix it.




Every village has an idiot?  No,
Every village has a wizard.

What aren't the blind telling us about the 7th floor?

I need these for my Battlestar

Sign over a box of fake grenades