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

Sunday, February 2, 2014

The Weekend at the Space Education Centers. The Imaginarium.

Hello Troops,
     Discovery Space Center new commercial premiers today at the Water Garden 6 Cinemas in Pleasant Grove.  Watch and enjoy.  Casey and the entire DSC production gang did a bang up job.  



It was back to the old times for me Friday night.  I chaperoned my 100,000,000th overnight camp (counting all the nights spent at the CMSEC chaperoning the camps for the last 22 years, and my time chaperoning at the DSC).  OK, I exaggerate, but when you stop and add up all the nights I've spent chaperoning space camps, sleeping on a pad on the floor, consoling the home sick, caring for the real sick, cleaning up oceans of vomit and pee soaked clothes and mattresses, it adds up to around 3 and 1/2 years of days end to end.  Taking all of that into account, I wouldn't have changed a thing.  I'm grateful we were able to do it for as long as we did because I know the program enriched thousands of lives on both sides of the simulator's walls.  There's also many nights still to come as our Farpoint Space Education Center takes shape at Renaissance Academy in Lehi.   
     I slept like a baby and the boys were great.  Not a peep out of them all night long - which is awesome when I have a busy Saturday and need to be somewhat alert and functioning.

     The DSC's Endeavor simulator has its new white panel lighting installed.  The color changes in a cycle.  It adds a nice touch to this newly remodeled simulator.      





Summer Mission Writing Gets Intense at the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center
     
     Of course I stopped at my old stomping grounds for my weekly update from CMSEC's director, Megan Warner, and her trusted lieutenant, Jon Parker.  They report this last week was very uneventful; there was a full slate of field trips and a healthy dose of private missions.
     As I entered the school, my ear was drawn to a ruckus coming from the CMSEC's Discovery Room.  I found Josh A., Connor L., Christine G., and Sara G., sitting around a table and admiring something Connor had created on his laptop.  Some kind of role playing player cards were spread out in front of them.  Connor wore his Minion stocking cap - he claims it magnifies his creative abilities.   
     It didn't take long for me to surmise how they were 'writing' the Magellan's new summer mission.  I believe, from the evidence on the table, that the Magellan staff play the role playing game.  One of them records their actions and the game's outcome.  Afterwords, they take the notes and turn their game into a mission.  Mind you, this is only a theory - I have no direct evidence, but it would seem entirely possible based on the evidence.  Wouldn't you agree?      


     Of course the Space Center wouldn't be the cool place it is without the help of our Farpoint Cadets like Nolan and Isaac, pictured here working the afternoon Phoenix mission.  Our cadets are awesome.  


     Before leaving, I stopped to take a look around the quiet cafeteria.  I stood them remembering the good old days of the Space Center's Golden Age.  I could see the campers sitting at the tables waiting for their Saturday morning Overnight Camp feast of donuts, Gogurts, fruit, Sunny Delight, Milk and Chocolate Milk.  I heard the excitement in their voices as the time drew near for them to start the last few hours of their mission before going home.  


     I half expected Flight Director Ben to appear from behind the Galileo's Control Room to pick up his crew.  Ben is serving an LDS mission to Russia and doing well, despite the frigid temperatures and reckless drivers. 
     Do you old time campers remember the cafeteria?  What kind of memories does seeing it again bring back to you?  

Mr. W.  


The Imaginarium
The Ordinary, made Extraordinary
























































Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Madame Tussaunds of London and the Discovery Space Center. New Lighting in the Room of Special Purposes. The Imaginarium.

Hello Troops,
     This evening I stopped by the Discovery Space Center on my way home from Renaissance Academy to check out a Facebook rumor that very cool changes were afoot.  I wasn't disappointed in what I found.


For Fun....
     The Discovery Space Center took delivery of a wax dummy of Casey Voeks created by Madame Tussauds of London's master waxsmiths.  I was amazed at the craftsmanship.  Everything about it seemed so lifelike!  What people do with wax these days is amazing.  To be truthful, it was so lifelike, I walked right up to it and said, "So, what's up?"
     Boy, did I feel the fool when Casey popped out from behind the desk and shouted, "Fooled Ya!"  Darn that Casey.....
     Casey explained that his wax likeness frees him from being on duty at the DSC all the time.  "A guy's got to have some time for himself," he explained.  "Having this here comforts the staff and cuts down on mischief.  You see.." Casey paused and took out the dummy's left eye.  A wire connected the eye to something deep inside the head. "this eye's a camera.  It's connected to the internet.  I can see what's happening here 24/7 from anywhere.  The staff know that.  It keeps everyone in line.  Isn't this awesome!"
     "Cool uniform," I said.  "Where did you get it?"
     "It's our new staff uniform.  Look spacey enough?"
    Discovery Space Center's new staff uniforms look Battlestar Galactic-ish.  They're very smart and come in different colors.
 
For Real...
     The DSC staff have new uniforms.  Casey Voeks is seen modeling one of them in the photo above.
I think they're very good and affordable.  Style at the right price - the Space EdVentures motto.

 
   

     The DSC's Room of Special Purposes has newly installed blue ceiling accent lighting.  Red will come next.  The wall mounted TV's are in place and a large model of the space shuttle will be hung at the front of the room near the entrance to the Atlantis.  A smoke machine mounted inside the shuttle will provide the shuttle's exhaust when the arriving crew counts down to zero before boarding their ships.
     There are wonderful things happening at Pleasant Grove's Discovery Space Center.  Be sure to book your private mission and camp soon.  Discoveryspacecenter.com

Mr. W      
       
The Imaginarium
The Ordinary to Extraordinary in a few short minutes