Megan Warner Visits for Surprise Inspection. Renaissance Academy's Phoenix Gray Squadron Survives Round One. The Imaginarium.

Former Space Center Director Returns for Random Inspection

Former Space Center Director Megan Warner returned to Utah from her extended stay on board the USS California last month. Although many believable reasons were given for the surprise visit, everyone knew the real reason. Megan wanted to reprise her role as a Federation admiral for Alex Anderson's sensational Silhouette joint mission between the Magellan and the Phoenix.    

Alex organized the special telling of this classic mission for friends.  Only a select handful of pre-screened staff and volunteers were invited to participate. "If this joint mission were a restaurant, we'd have three Michelin stars," Alex said.

Megan didn't disappoint. She was in true form all evening. Just ask the dude in the cowboy hat what he thought of the grilling he received from the sharp edge of the admiral's tongue. The caped captain looked on thoroughly enjoying the dressing down. What he didn't know was that the admiral was saving some of her ire for his appearance. 
   

Jordan Smith stood ready in the Magellan Control Room for his role as master of the cables.

I've never done this mission so I haven't a clue what it's all about; however I do know the two central character are evil and devious.  

 Stanton Everett is criminally disturbed with illusions of galactic grandeur not reflected in any known pictures of this crime lord. Look at that face. Stanton looks like the kind of guy you'd call to babysit your kids, right?  

Yes, Jon plays the part only too well.  One would suspect Stanton may be his alter ego. 

 Another major character is the president of some minor, third world planet played by former Space Center heart throb Adam Hall.  Megan Vest played his assistant. It was good to see them both once again in one of the simulators. 

The mission went well according to reports from the survivors. Megan has since returned to the California. Word is she's on a mission for Starfleet's Special Branch. We wish her a safe journey and hope to see her again sometime soon.

Mr. Williamson

  

Renaissance Academy's Phoenix Gray Squadron Nearly Dominates Round One in the 2016 Long Duration Mission

You had to be there to witness for yourself how the Phoenix Gray Squadron nearly dominated their first round mission in this year's LDM. OK, I suppose it is proper that I acknowledge my impartiality may be called into question when it comes to the Phoenix Grays, considering I'm their 6th grade teacher at Renaissance Academy. However, let it also be known that I've got Brittney and Emily watching my every move to ensure complete fairness in scoring.  In fact, right after this mission, both of them cornered me in the hall and gave me a right ear full that's for sure.  Because of this conflict of interest, I'll recuse myself from scoring the Grays. Brittney and Emily will have that honor.  

The Grays are not easily intimidated. They look at danger and laugh. Mayhem is an appetizer. Death is a constant companion. Just look at their reactions above when faced with twelve Borg Cubes and a Death Star. 

Captain Matt and First Officer Wesley spent the first part of the mission figuring out how to get the Magellan out of space dock. It took careful steering on Wesley's part, but in the end they were successful. Sure, we nearly collided with an interior Starbase wall several times - ,but they shook it off as true professionals and went on with the mission. 

Matt and Wesley's calm reaction as the ship came within a hair's width of the Starbase's inner hull

The collision alarms caught Tyler off guard

Wacey and Aaron sure had their work to do at Damage Control. It was those darn C02 scrubbers again

 Despite the delay in getting underway, the crew managed to reach the desired point in the story. Noah was relieved, happy, and sad. He was not ready to return to reality.

 Captain Matt was exhausted at mission's close. He had grown fond of his command chair and asked if he could take it to school. Why would I let one of my students sit in a better chair than the one at my desk? 

 The Phoenix Grays. What a squadron. Not necessarily the smartest when it comes to the proper handling of phaser rifles, but true gentleman, scholars, and good judges of dilithium ore.

Mr. Williamson

   

The Imaginarium

The Voyager Club's 2016 Long Duration Mission Starts with Scorpio Squadron. Scorpio's Squadron Newspaper. Space and Science News. The Imaginarium.

The 2016 Long Duration Mission. Scorpio Squadron Launches First

The Voyager Club's 2016 Long Duration Mission started two weeks ago. The Scorpio Squadron was the first to launch.  
Many of last year's Scorpio team returned this year to tackle the new, five month mission. 

 The USS Magellan changed its training procedure. Instead of listening to your training through small, counter-top speakers, training is heard through the computer's internal speakers.  Scorpio discovered a small flaw. Sometimes you can't hear the speakers through the black plastic.  Jessa and Trey had to sit on the floor to hear their training.  Don't worry, I kept a close eye on things :)

 

The first three missions of this year's LDM are not scored; however, we take careful notes and give the crew feedback on their performance during the post-mission debriefing. 

Scorpio did outstandingly well.  It was apparent they were returning veterans from last year's LDM. 
Does the crew stay in character is the primary focus for this year's program. Again, Scorpio knocked it out of the park. They were fun to watch.  

It will be an awesome LDM season with teams like Scorpio.  

On hand for the first mission was our gifted, creative, and dedicated LDM staff.
Connor, Lindsey, Jacqueline, and Emily. Missing was Brittney and Lissa.  Lindsey and Lissa are new to the LDM staff.  They are the co-managers of the Space Center's Acting Guild and will coordinate the actors and volunteers for this year's program 

Mr. Williamson

Nathan Benich Creates the Scorpio Monthly

Troops, Nathan is one creative teen with a flare for writing. I thoroughly enjoyed reading his 
squadron newspaper.  I'm posting it here for everyone to read.  
Thanks Nathan and keep them coming!

Space and Science News
By Mark Daymont

ISS EVA-42 Completed

Cosmonauts Yuri Malenchenko (L) and Sergey Volkov (R) suited up and ready to begin the spacewalk. Picture taken by Commander Scott Kelly on the ISS.

 

Early on Wednesday morning, two Russian cosmonauts of Expedition 46 exited the airlock and moved outside the International Space Station. Yuri Malenchenko was making his sixth EVA, and Sergey Volkov making his fourth. There have now been 193 EVA missions since the beginning of the ISS program, mostly dealing with the construction of the station module by module. In this EVA, the two spacewalkers placed some more grab holds on the modules for future spacewalks, and retrieved experiments and materials to be brought back inside the station. 

One of the tasks of the EVA was to release a canister containing a flash drive into space orbit. It contained messages and videos from Russians commemorating the 70th anniversary of Russia's Victory Day (the end of WW2).

 

 

The canister is released.

 

I'll admit, this act might not have been thought out very well. I understand the benefit of involving the public in leaving their messages and words (albeit in electronic format - who will ever be able to read them?) in space, as it focuses the people on space exploration. After all, no bucks, no Buck Rogers. It's been a popular thing for NASA and other space projects to do. But normally the items are attached to a spacecraft or lander. This one was thrown into orbit behind the station. Now it was jettisoned in a way that it poses no risk to hitting the station in subsequent orbits. However, considering the vast problem that exists in Earth orbit with tens of thousands of pieces of space debris, was it wise to add yet another? Certainly no mission of the future will be trying to retrieve this canister - only people on Earth will have access to a backup of the project. And very few people will probably do that. And, if it eventually is pushed by solar radiation down to the Earth's upper atmosphere, it will burn up - so why put it up there to begin with? 

The Imaginarium