DSim Launches the UCS Titan, the Newest Simulator in the Fleet. The Imaginarium.

Discovery Simulations Launches the Newest Ship in the Space Simulator Fleet - The UCS Titan!  

Hello Space EdVenture Fans,
The newest ship in the Space Simulators fleet was launched Thursday at Utah Valley University's Stem Fest!  The UCS Titan is the brainchild of Discovery Simulations owners, Skyler Carr, Casey Voeks, and Brandon Wright.  The Titan went into active service running short five minute missions for the thousands of visitors attending UVU's 1st Annual Stem Fest - a showcase of science, technology, engineering and math.  I stopped by Wednesday night after work to see how things were going for opening day Thursday. 

   

Nathan King was busy running computer cords through conduit. 

 

BJ Warner was inspecting things and inserting things - when I wasn't hogging his time with a barrage of questions about the Titan.   

I was amazed at how much was squeezed into such a small space!  The Titan can hold up to 16 crew - each with their own job.  You're looking at one of the stations above - each equipped with a computer and touch screen.  I really like what Skyler and Brandon did with the curved metal piping.  Very art deco I think. 

 

BJ Warner and assistant wondering why the computer wasn't working.   Most likely because I was too much of a distraction, bouncing from station to station, playing with the computers like a kid in a candy shop.  You know me and simulators.  I can't get enough of them. 

 

The Titan was built with generous grants from USSynthetic.  Casey Voeks is pictured above.  That smile is one of pride in a job well done.  What do you think of the trailer's artistic wrap?  Imagine seeing this going down the freeway.  

   

Now imagine it going down the freeway being pulled by the truck above, another new addition to the Discovery Simulations fleet.    

The Titan's control room is the smallest ever built.  It is just big enough for one person - and I mean barely big enough.  Sure cuts down on labor costs, that's for sure.

Casey and Skyler showing the back of the Titan.

USSynthetics donated the Stem Fest space to Discovery.  The area was big enough for the Titan and Discovery's portable planetarium.   Visitors could do a space mission and a planetarium show.  It doesn't get any better than that.  

The exhibit was swamped by school field trips all day Thursday and Friday.  I stopped by one more time this afternoon to see how things were going. 

I found a long line of people waiting to enter the Titan for a five minute video.  The boys at the front of the line belong to Brandon Engles' Lego League team at Shelley Elementary in American Fork.
Brandon is on our Farpoint curriculum team.

I jumped in to take a few pictures before they entered to do their mission.  

Titan's interior in its normal running lights. 

Friends, this is the future of simulations.  This small, portable, affordable simulator has the potential to bring the art and science of space edventures to schools and businesses worldwide.  Our friends at DSim have done a wonderful thing.  

The Titan is here.  The Titan is the future.   

DSim's StemFest team:  Jorden, Skyler, BJ, Jackie, and Casey.  

The Imaginarium

The IKS Highlander, Dream Flight Adventures Newest Simulator, Opens Tomorrow in Pennsylvania. Minute Physics. The Imaginarium.

Hello Space EdVenture Fans!
     Admiral Starblayze from Dream Flight Adventures has important news on the newest simulator in the ever growing number of simulators inspired by the USS Voyager - the mother ship (1990-2012).
     Congratulations to our good friends at Dream Flight Adventures and the excellent educators and students at Harrison Middle School in Pennsylvania on Monday's grand opening of the IKS Highlander.   It is a beautiful ship!

Mr. Williamson
          

Early Sneak Peak at the IKS Highlander

Posted on March 21, 2015 by Admiral Starblayze

Hello troops, it’s been a bit quiet on the blog these days, but today I’m breaking radio silence to give you a sneak peak of the IKS Highlander, which is scheduled for launch next Monday, March 23 at Harrison Middle School in Baldwin-Whitehall School District.

Here we see the bridge of the Highlander as seen from its main entry hatch.  The flight control yoke marks the spot where the Pilot sets, accompanied by teammates on either side.   Behind the pilot is a raised level with three groups of other stations, and a final raised platform for the command crew behind them (off the left side of the photo).  To the far right of this photo you’ll see the arched doorway leading to the ship’s Medical Chamber.

Here’s a view from the same point near the entry hatch but looking further left, revealing the command crew platform as well as the desks for the corner stations.  The Highlander is by far our largest simulator—it seats all 17 of our standard crew stations, but it also has two large stations in the back corners that can hold a wide variety of other stations as well.  You can expect to see microscopes, test tubes, robotics kits, or other great hands-on devices and activities housed in these stations.

You’ll notice that the bridge still looks a bit bare in these photos.  There are four reasons for this:

1. The room is huge, period.
2. The chairs are missing and it’s not full of excited students working together feverishly.
3. The white ceiling lights are on, which never happens during an actual mission.  During a mission the themed LED light strips create a very immersive ambience.
4. The student stations are awaiting their metallic paneling.  Currently they are white and bare, but soon they will be donning beautifully textured panels.  Stay tuned for more photos in the coming days showing the Highlander in all its glory.

But that’s not all!  Right next to the Highlander will be a giant STEAM Lab filled with hands-on projects and activities that correspond with the simulator missions.  For example, Baldwin-Whitehall students will get to learn about fish, insects, and the ecosystem firsthand through their adventures in Contaminant, and then they can enter the STEAM Lab and work with tanks full of live fish that they can study, feed, and care for.  The possibilities are endless, so stay tuned for more details as the STEAM Lab develops.

We’re all excited for the IKS Highlander’s big launch on Monday, and we’ll be sure to post all the big news as it occurs.  Until then, Admiral Starblayze over and out.

What are Parallel Universes?

As suggested for the Imaginarium by Matt Long

The Imaginarium

Rainworks 

As suggested for the Imaginarium by Brent Anderson

And now, a few contributions to the Imaginarium from Dave Daymont