While many of you use your Saturday mornings as that perfect sleep in time, the Farpoint Imagineers are up, meeting, discussing, debating, and creating in my classroom at Renaissance.
Our imagineering meetings start at 9:00 A.M. I lower the gavel on my desk and proclaim, "Let the Imagineering Begin!" Ideas and opinions flow until I once again lower the gavel at 11:00 A.M. and call for silence. "Let the Imagineering Cease. Recharge, Review, Reflect. Go in peace...." We stand, bow to one another, and silently proceed out the classroom door in a dignified and orderly manner.
Some of the finest Space EdVenture minds make up our galactic think tank - names old space center campers would recognize - faces even more so.
Take this face; her name is Emily Paxman. You may recognize her from the Space Center's Golden Age. She was a flight director in the Voyager and Odyssey simulators. In the photo above you see her working on the velocity curve required for the Vanguard simulator to reach escape / wormhole speed. The calculations are necessary if we want the simulator's controls to mimic true wormhole travel as we envision it will be 300 years in the future. I call it realistic fiction - try getting your mind around that one :)
Brent Anderson stands next to Emily. Brent was the Space Center's Programming Chief in the Golden Age. Brent and his brother Alex are programming the Vanguard's controls. He politely listens to Emily's logic before commenting. Disagreements are rare and settled by overall consensus - either that or Brent or Alex state what we envision is non programmable given the time and non-existent budget. it is back to square one if that is the case.
Ten minutes of imagineering - sanitized for widespread internet distribution - is visible on the whiteboard above. We mustn't let the dark forces of KAOS see the fine details. After all, what is the Space EdVentures concept if not pure storytelling and imagination cocooned in a futuristic set?
Anyone can outfit a computer lab to become a simulator. But can they out create those who grew up at the Space Center, volunteered at the Space Center, and worked hundreds of hours making the magic for hundreds of thousands? The answer is NO.
A few more of the team's scribblings envisioning the Vanguard moving through space while prepping to make The Jump.
This is Matt Long. Matt is another one of our elite imagineers. Could this be your first glimpse of the Vanguard's Engineering Room complete with hatch and jump reactor? Hmmmmmm, what could the hatch and crawl space be used for? Does the reactor remind you Dr. Who fans of something? You're looking down from above. Something in the Tardis perhaps?
Imagineer Generals Mark Daymont and David Kyle Herring pause for a moment to enjoy the antics of our young mascot, Baby David Herring.
Melanie Long, Dave Daymont and Alex Anderson listen to the discussions with one ear and half their brains while the other half of their brains focus on problems and issues yet to be discussed. Dave is not happy having his photo taken. During the day he parades as a meek, mild mannered Alpine School District computer tech - his true identity concealed from public view. This photo reveals that hidden identity. He is an Imagineering General. I trust you Troubadours to keep what you see and read here in the strictest confidence understanding that any idle chatter with the uninitiated could result in an unfortunate string of bad luck.
Alex Anderson is seen with Brent and Matt discussing the Vanguard's special flooring. Deep space travel requires gravity deck plating coupled with inertia dampening, the physics of which are yet to be discovered by traditional science but completely understood by our Imagineer Generals. Perhaps one day we'll release our discoveries to the world, but not yet.
Mr. W.
Discovery Space Center Preps for THE HAUNTED STARSHIP!
Here are a few "behind the scenes" shots taken during the filming of one of many scenes to be used at the Discovery Space Center for their Haunted Starship. I've posted before on this new and unique entertainment offering here on The Troubadour and hope you've purchased your tickets.
From the Discovery Space Center's Web Site:
Tired of walking through your typical haunted house waiting for someone to scare you? We think you should get a chance to be engaged and make decisions. At the DISCOVERY SPACE CENTER, we excel in simulated adventures and experiential learning. You can expect our haunted house to be held to just as high of a standard!
Get ready for this amazing haunted house experience! Step into our futuristic facility to take part in our brand new “close-encounter” experience. The entire space center has been converted for this family-friendly experience which will only be available for a limited time.
You and your crew will be taken through an alien abduction which passes through multiple phases that will both challenge and frighten you in this one-of-a-kind experience. How will you handle this alien abduction?
SYNOPSIS
While in transport to tour the fleet’s newest space ship, the UCS Tererro, the crew is intercepted and suddenly brought on board the UCS Aurora. This mysterious ship is not in the database, and has no record of ever existing. The crew is missing, systems are critical, and you’re not alone.
Fight your way through what’s left of the Aurora and attempt to escape before it’s too late!
Recommended Age: 8 and up
Pricing: $5 per person, $15 VIP pass – Tickets can be purchased at the door or online (located below) to skip the line! Group pricing available for 20 people or more – contact us at scheduling@discoveryspacecenter.com or 801.847.STAR
Parking: located across the street from Stone Gate near the baseball field
Duration: 20-30 minutes, depending on your decisions and your crew
Book your Tickets Now
Kevin is the newest member of our Farpoint Voyager's Cadet Team. He is a student at American Fork Junior High and is excited to help in the simulators and take part in one of the cadet departments. Welcome Kevin!
