The Plans for Farpoint's First Simulator, The Vanguard, Take Shape. The Imaginarium.

Hello Troops,
A quick update from the good folks at Farpoint!
Last Saturday we met in my classroom at Renaissance Academy to make the final design changes to Farpoint's first simulator, the Vanguard.  If you're a regular Troubadour reader, then know the design has gone through a few revisions over the last couple weeks - all necessary as you work out the problems and try to build the largest simulator on the smallest possible budget.
This is what we settled on...

     Think, Battlestar Galactica Bridge with a small engineering bay, sick bay, transition room (yet to be imagineered) and YES, a Briefing Room all of our own!  The Vanguard will be one sweet ship - or is it a sick ship using today's vernacular?  
     The Vanguard will have 26 computer stations for a crew of no more than 15.  The control room will be the largest of any ship currently in operation.  There will even be a small waiting room for parents with a video feed from the bridge!  Tell me you wouldn't want to fly in this beauty.

The Creative Team at Work

      

     I want to thank Chris Aldridge, good friend and member of our Space EdVentures Foundation board, for donating and setting up four computer stations in my classroom. Teaching 6th grade full time AND starting a new Space Center is very time consuming.  One evening, just before our Space EdVentures Foundation board meeting stated, Chris asked me how things were going in my classroom. I told him how buried I was.  He asked what took up most of my time.  "Grading their writing," was my reply.

     Later, Chris called me up and told me that he'd talked to some of the people he works with him at the School Improvement Network and told them of my plight.  "They've volunteered to help you grade your student's writing," he said.  The news made my day.
     Not only has Chris found excellent, competent professionals to help with our writing projects, he purchased and installed the computers I needed to get the job done.  The students will do their writing on Googledocs, thus giving the folks at the School Improvement Network access to the writing for grading and editing.
     Thank you Chris and the good people at the School Improvement Network.  

 The Imaginarium
Ordinary.... Extraordinary

What do you think, a Farpoint Station Mascot?

One of the Last Video's Shot on the Voyager's Bridge. The Imaginarium.

Hello Troops,

     I found this video filmed on the Voyager's bridge during a telling of Greenpeace.  What makes this video unique is the Voyager itself.  This may be the only video we have of the Voyager as it looked the day the simulator was closed on August 1, 2012.  It shows the backlit Voyager behind the Captain's chair, it shows the plastic speaker covers, and it shows the ceiling beam supports - the last upgrade the Voyager set received before that fateful day.  It was my first ship. It was the pride of the Space Center. It was the training facility for most of the flight directors currently working at the CMSEC and the Discovery Space Center.  It was the ship nearest to our hearts.
     The scene is set. Emily Paxman is flight directing.  The Voyager is about to enter the bottleneck.  Sit back and enjoy the only video we have (that I know of) of the Voyager as it looked at its best.  It was our ship of dreams.

Still Shots from the Video with Background Information

   

Spencer Dauwalter was responsible for the beautiful backlit panel at the captain's station.  The Captain is seen in the Voyager's Captain uniform - a Lorraine Houston creation.

Looking down at the lower bridge - home to both short and long range communications.

The captain discussing the ship's security with the chief of security.  The security guards sat with their backs to the ship's main viewer.  The USS Voyager dedication plaque between them is in my classroom at Renaissance Academy, the only thing I was able to salvage from the Voyager.

A second security office has just come up to the bridge from deck 2 using the banned spiral staircase.  The spiral staircase was one of the Voyager's unique set pieces.

The Captain, first officer and Ambassador discuss their situation.

The Voyager's communications officer.  You can just see the top of one of the Left Wing computers.  That computer controlled the ship's power levels.

Emily has put the ship on Red Alert.  They are approaching the Bottleneck.  Notice the Voyager had two main viewers - a large TV on top of a rear view screen.

A bomb has been detected.  One of the security guards rushes downstairs to find it.

The Voyager's Deck 2.  Bunks to the left. The water closet in front.  The Galley table and sink are visible.

A better shot of the three layer bunk beds.

The security guard is looking for the bomb in the ship's bathroom / shower.

She is searching the Galley's cupboards.

The Voyager's Engineer is standing in decontamination working on one of the ship's button and dial stations.  Crews boarded the Voyager through decontamination, down the stairs you see, across Deck 2 and up the spiral staircase.

Good memories,
Mr. W.

The Imaginarium
Where the Ordinary is shunned and the Extraordinary praised.