Posts from the Past: March 2001. Comments On How the Space Center Changed Lives. Plus, The Excitement of a New Volunteer. The Imaginarium.

The Blue Shirts and Volunteers of the Voyager Era. How Many do you Recognize?

The Space Center Really Does Influence People
March 6, 2001

MODERATOR'S NOTE:
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO BRYANT FOR SHARING THIS EXPERIENCE. MR. WILLIAMSON NEEDED TO HEAR THAT TODAY. (IT HAS BEEN A LONG WEEK ALREADY AND IT'S ONLY WEDNESDAY). 
YOU KNOW, WE ARE A VERY UNUSUAL BUSINESS. IN SOME WAYS WE ARE ACTORS PERFORMING A PLAY FOR THE VISITORS - BUT AT THE END OF THE PLAY WE CANNOT WALK OUT AND TAKE A BOW - REMEMBER WE MUST MAINTAIN THE ILLUSION. ALSO, WE ONLY SEE STUDENTS ONCE, MAYBE TWICE. AFTER THE MISSIONS THEY LEAVE AND WE USUALLY NEVER HEAR COMMENTS OR FEEDBACK. IT IS SO GOOD TO HEAR NEWS LIKE THE FOLLOWING POST FROM BRYANT. IF ANY OF YOU HAVE SIMILAR EXPERIENCES PLEASE POST THEM.

MR. WILLIAMSON

AND NOW BRYANT'S POST:

I just thought that it would be cool to tell you all that us at the space center really do touch people...

Last Friday In my chemistry class My teacher asked us all If we would rather take a geography class or an astronomy class. 100% of the class said that they would rather take the Astronomy class. When my teacher asked us what it was about astronomy they thought was so cool the response was our memories of going to the space center...

So as you can see the CMSEC is not just a fun place to go for a night, It really sticks with people for years and years.

Bryant

MODERATOR'S NOTE:
THANK YOU, TYSON FOR THIS POST. AGAIN AS I SAID EARLIER TODAY. IT IS GOOD TO KNOW THAT OUR WORK HERE DOES DO GOOD. 

THANKS.
MR. WILLIAMSON

AND NOW TYSON'S POST:


Hello everybody,

I'm right up there with Bryan. The Space Center has touched so many lives. I know its touched mine. It will stay with me forever. But other kids have a chance to go to a different 
world. A world that is far better than the one just outside. Things from the Center can be carried out into the real world, and be used to solve real-life dilemmas. After all, they are based on parts of history.

Its also a place where it doesn't matter where you live, what you look like, if your tall, small, have glasses, braces etc...You go there to learn, have fun, and work as a team; and you also learn to respect and become friends with other people.

Well that's my inspiration for the day.

Bye all, and have fun with life. It will catch up with you sooner than you 
know.

Tyson Baker
"It brought a tear to my eye."
--- Star Trek: Generations

MARCH 7, 2001

MODERATOR'S NOTE:
THANKS JULIE FOR THE FEEDBACK. AGAIN, MY HEART IS WARMED AND IM READY FOR ANOTHER DAY IN THE TRENCHES. 
MR. WILLIAMSON

AND NOW JULIE'S POST.



Very similar thing happened in MY chemistry class. This guy asked me what I was planning on doing that following weekend, and I told him that I was working an overnighter at the Space Center. Immediately heads turned as they excitedly asked, "You work at the Space Center?" I proudly replied yes, then the teacher joined in commenting that it was "such a cool place". We began talking, and I told them what was new. Everyone commented on how they wished that they could go back, and that they would never forget how exciting everything was. Then everyone started to share their "Space Center" experience.

Just thought you might possibly want to know.

~Jules~
(Julie Collett)

March 8, 2001

I have had many experiences in which little kids I don't think I've ever seen before come up to me and say "Hey, you work at the Space Center don't you." Then, they start discussing all these Star Trek issues and what happened on their flight and what not you can't help but wonder if you've made an impact on that kid's life. Even in grocery stores, I have had kids come up and talk. I don't know if anybody else has had the privilege of experiencing that for yourself but when you do you will enjoy it. I promise.

Charlie Heaton

Another Pat on the Back for us All
March 10, 2001

Hello, Troops,
I just received this email from a camper that just left the overnight camp. Even though Whitney is praising me the praise really belongs to all of us. Any compliment I receive equally belongs to all of us that make this place a place where dreams do come true for kids that really love space. So, as you read this please take my name out and insert 
yours. Whitney's compliments are for all of us,

Mr Williamson

And now the email I received:

Hi, my name is Whitney Patterson.
I have attended your latest camp, 3-9-01, an overnighter. That was not the first time, I can
tell you that. But it was one of the best I've ever been to. I usually end up on the Voyager,which is a joyful thrill because Voyager is the coolest simulator of all. Oh, by the way, I'm from Eaglecrest Elementary. Remember we won 126 tickets? 

Mr. Williamson, I think you are the coolest teacher in the world. You are my hero and my role model. I will always admire you. I also wanted to make a request wich I'm sure other kids would agree with. I think you should hook the cameras up to the vcr so if kids want to record their mission and watch it over again from the audience seat they can. In fact, a better idea would be to record it on your own tapes and sell them along with the shirts and stuff.


Another thing that would make it really awesome is to have it end later like maybe 1, 2, or 3:00 p.m. instead of 10:00 a.m. I noticed that on your web site you only had one picture of the voyager. Why? and the pictures of the Odyssey look like realy old pictures. 

Amazingly, I've never seen the odyssey and I thought the pictures would show me but the really didn't. And you didn't have pictures of any of the other ships. If you would please write
back to me. 

Mr. Williamson, You have no idea how greatful I would be. Infact, my gratitude is far greater than you could possibly dream or imagine. I truly am your very biggest fan (although lots of kids probably say that, I'm the only one thats truly the biggest) and I am fascinated by space and
astronomy ( and, of darn course Star Trek) and everything that your simulators have to do with. I want to be an astrounat and experience for real what your simulators do.

The Excitement of a New Volunteer.
Post from the Past. The CMSEC's YahooGroup. 

March 5, 2001

Hello,

I will make it short... I have allready gotten training in acting. Anyways, I am a good acter without thoese skills. I have so many faces I can't count. Many of my friend reccomend me for Acting. Also, another skill I have is shouting VERY loud! I get weird faces from other people in school becuase I have such a loud voice. 
Especially during lunch. I don't know why... But, I have this weird feeling inside of me that someone is not hearing me. So I talk louder. 

My interests are--- Talking loudly, Cheering other people on (The school cheer-leaders want me to join them during school games to be the "Lead Singer".), Snowboarding (Which everyone can hear me shouting), And Acting. I LOVE to act. That is my 2nd reason to be a staff member of the CMSEC! I wanted to act. But so far, I have not gotten the chance to act on the bridge yet. I have been working as the 2nd Chair most of the time. 

I hope that I can be the docter on the Megeallan, Voyager and Odyssey some time. But I like to work as the 
2nd chair too. I am looking foward to working in those ships. So, Mr.Williamson, Mr.Wall, and Mr.Merreal... Watch me closely when I act. Please tell me of my Mistakes, and Please tell me of my Up's and Down's of acting. I would like to adjust to each Directors expations. Thank you all for reading this!

Josh Dye
Pioneer

The Imaginarium

Thoughts on the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center's 27th Anniversary!

Where has the time gone?

Hello Troops,
Twenty-seven years have come and gone. I remember November 8, 1990 very well. I was
nervous. I had doubts. I questioned whether I knew what I was doing. My friends and colleagues also doubted my sanity.

This whole endeavor started with a Young Astronaut Club and a trip to Japan. I saw
a school with a small shuttle simulator and wanted one for my Young Astronauts Club at Central Elementary. Suddenly the dream took on its own life. The little ship Pegasus, destined to be built where the Odyssey is now, had exploded into the Voyager – a new addition built onto the school.

So many people were drawn into the project. Great amounts of money and manpower were spent. It had to succeed, but I didn't know what "IT" was. Failure wasn't an option. I didn't sleep well those first years. My health suffered. My poor heart never completely recovered. The anxiety attacks, I'm happy to say, lasted three years and ended.

I had a building but no real direction. Would I recreate the Challenge Space Center experience - heavily science based? My grants spoke of a science lab on board a futuristic spaceship but that idea just didn't excite me; it lacked the drama and excitement of my classroom simulator run the previous seven years. 

In the end, I decided to open the CMSEC with a science-based mission - a trip to Mars. There are people that remember that first school mission. We flew at warp speed using the HyperCard controls I programmed. Once at Mars, I used a Mars laser disc for special effects. We flew around the planet learning about its climate and features. I stood on the bridge next to the Tactical screen. My 6th grade staff (2 kids) sat in the control room listening and waiting for clues on when to play and pause the laser disc player and VCR. How primitive it was compared to what we have now.

After a few Mars missions I felt something was missing. The students showed little
excitement. They were just bodies sitting at the computers listening to me. I was in command giving the captain orders on where to go and what to do. It wasn't working.

I thought back to my days in the classroom with the overhead projector, boom box, and paper controls. Then the idea came – do what you've proven successful. Introduce some drama. I quickly pulled a few of my "Star Trek" videos and, using two of the school's VCR's, edited an ending with a Romulan warbird showing appear to provide a bit of drama. It was a crazy idea but crazy ideas built the Center. A willingness to act on crazy impulses is a character trait I'm proud of.

The idea of adding the Romulan scene at the end of the mission worked well. The kids got excited to see the Romulan ship. The little battle thrown at the end of the was successful. It convinced me that my original idea of taking a class on an EdVenture into space would work with the general public like it did with my captive 6th grade class.

I sat down and wrote another mission. I believe it was called "Epsilon". It was a story of a planet in the Klingon Neutral Zone. Half the planet was under Federation control
and the other was under Klingon control. The treaty, allowing joint control of the planet, was up for renegotiation. The planet would be awarded to the government that demonstrated it could best care for the planet's population.

The story had the Voyager entering the Neutral Zone bringing a new kind of wheat to the planet. This new wheat was genetically engineered to grow well in the planet's harsh climate. The Voyager had a few close calls on the way to the planet and a few others while in orbit. At the end of the mission our classes left the Voyager so excited. I knew I had found the formula and the rest, as they say, is history.


Now here we are 27 years later. The one ship has blossomed into many. Our stories are much more complicated. Today's simulators are ten times more sophisticated. The work force involved in this type of education has exploded.  And here I am, after twenty-seven years sitting at the helm of the Voyager, a new Voyager, with microphone in hand. The years have taken their toll. I'm getting older and gray but the magic is still there. 

During my time as CMSEC Director, the Voyager Era, I'd often end long days of double field trips and private missions sitting alone on the Voyager's Bridge. I'd dim the lights, sit in the captain's chair and marvel that such a place existed. I could almost hear the voices of 350,000 children swirling around the room - locked in the very fabric of the ship. I'd look at the left wing and see the original staff training crews by hand before the days of training tapes and mp3 players. I'd see Jacob Bartlett over in the corner asleep when he should be doing his job as a bridge staff. I'd hear Russell Smith downstairs playing the blind doctor. I'd watch a much younger Mr. Schuler coming up the stairs in full Star Trek uniform. I'd hear a child's voice shout, "Admiral on the Bridge!" I'd still see that silly mask popping up over the loft to frighten Security. I'd see our many young volunteers growing up in that simulator from elementary school to junior high to senior high and then jumping ship into life. I'd hear the screams, the laughing, and the quiet that came from sadness when Blossom, the Paklid, died in a fiery crash into a planet so many years ago. They are good memories.

The simulators are home to me. They are the work of a professional lifetime. So, as long as I'm able to hold a microphone and utter those familiar words, "Engineering to the bridge, Engineering to the bridge. You've got Tex," why would I ever want to really retire? And so, I think I'll stay in the business awhile longer if you all don't mind...

Perhaps someday video game technology will become so evolved that children will do one of our missions at home connected to some kind of virtual reality machine. The computer will play my part, telling the story and reacting to the kid's decisions. The class will sit with goggles covering their eyes showing them the bridge of some futuristic ship. Gloves will give them the feel of working the controls.

Perhaps one day, the original Voyager will be recreated, spiral staircase and all. It may be a museum set a future generation will visit with their grandparents. As they tour the simulator the sounds of our voices and the blaring music with red alerts will accent their grandparent's stories of when they, once upon a time, flew the Voyager to far places far away.

Thank you, everyone, for twenty-seven years. Thank you to all the volunteers of every Voyager inspired space center for the hours of time you give each month. A thank you to those who work in this business for always going above and beyond the call of duty. We are all involved in creating lasting memories that will stay with our students forever.

And now, we venture onward to 30 years! 

Simply,
Mr. Williamson

More Newly Discovered Pictures from the Space Center's Voyager Era. The Universe of Farpoint Coming to a Simulator Near You. See the First Promotional Video. Meet the Young Astronauts and Voyagers. Space News. Theater Imaginarium.

The Universe of Farpoint
Coming to a Simulator Near You

A few years ago I wrote the foundational work for Farpoint, a fresh contemporary science fiction universe for the Farpoint Space Education Center at Renaissance Academy, home of the new USS Voyager.  Despite my devotion to Star Trek and desire to forever write missions set in its future, we needed something uniquely ours; something no one could take from us. 

The Farpoint universe is built on a firm curriculum foundation, providing a variety of alien races, technologies, and political and religious nuances necessary for good storytelling. The Farpoint story starts in today's time for the youngest young astronauts in the primary grades.  The storyline ages with the student - ending with high school and adult missions set hundreds of years in the future. 

   

Many creative minds of all ages have since added to the Farpoint lore, most notably Dr. Ryan Anderson, Executive Director of Telos Discovery Space Center.  Ryan was the first to write and produce several new Farpoint missions soon to be told in Telos Academy's Hyperion and Valiant Simulators and the USS Voyager at Renaissance Academy. Talented visual artists from Telos, Farpoint, and Lakeview Academy's Lions Gate Center are busy at work imagineering and programming Farpoint starship controls and digital assets. Who knows, you may even see Farpoint missions at a starbase housing your favorite simulator in the future. 

Of course, you'll want to venture into space in a Farpoint Starship; which is why the space centers associated with the Space EdVentures Cooperative are working night and day to make it so. Keeping watching The Troubadour for news on when and where such opportunities will be made available.

Please take a moment and enjoy this short Farpoint trailer produced by the TDSC. 

Mr. Williamson

Director@spacecamputah.org

Meet Four of Farpoint's 26 Young Astronaut and Voyager Squadrons

Last week was a busy week on the USS Voyager at Renaissance Academy as we launched several of the Farpoint Space Education Center's 26 Young Astronaut and Voyager Club Squadrons on their eight-month Long Duration episodic Missions.

The Middle School Phoenix Squadron captained by a very stern Liz.  They were remarkable in both performance and execution of duty.

Meet Farpoint's 3rd Grade Lion Squadron.  The Lion's are one of five third grade teams.  The Voyager's Mission Control staff are never bored when the 3rd-grade squadrons fly.  You never know what they'll say or do.  

Take the 3rd grade Tiger Squadron above.  They launched on the Voyager Friday afternoon.  The captain had to call Farpoint Station to get permission to leave spacedock.  The communications offer placed the call but made a mistake in his greeting. 

"Hello," the young cadet said in a small, unsure voice. "Is this Port Starvation?"  

Where he got Port Starvation from Farpoint Station I'll never understand, but after shutting down the microphone so the younglings wouldn't hear the laughter coming from Mission Control, I realized the boy had given me an awesome name for a new mission that's been rattling around in my head. His mistake was an act of inspiration.  My new mission will be called: Port Starvation. It is mine and no one else may lay claim to it. 

Meet the 4th and 5th grade combined Dragon Squadron.  They took the Voyager out of spacedock early Saturday morning right after the GoogleCS Programming Guild ended.  Saturdays are busy days at Farpoint. The Dragons posed for this picture as an act of defiance against the evil Chancellor Alexander of New Earth. Yes, the Dragons are on their way to meet a Federation shuttle and retrieve several secret stolen documents. What will become of them?  Only time will tell.

Mr. Williamson 

More Pictures from the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center's Voyager Era. 1990-2012

Jordan Foutin in full Star Trek uniform working the Voyager's IIFX Station in the Control Room.
You see me in the background trying to stay away on the long overnight camp.

The Troubadour is pleased to present three more pictures from the batch of newly discovered photos taken way back in the day when I ran Overnight Camps on the USS Voyager at the CMSEC.  Why does it look like I'm chewing on my shirt collar in the photo above?  Was it a really stressful flight? Was I hungry?  Perhaps I was just trying to hide from the camera.    

Quinn Wongkew and fellow volunteer in the Magellan Control Room

The Magellan Control room was a busy place during overnight camps.  Lots of coming and going of staff and volunteers. It took a strong steady hand to keep it all under control.  

There is something about the Magellan and Dr. Pepper. The Magellan was a ship driven by anti-matter, dilithium crystals, and Dr. Pepper. Why does anyone who works in the Magellan evolve into a diehard Dr. Pepper aficionado? 

The Voyager ran Diet Coke.  Don't remember the drink of choice for the other simulators.

Stacy stealing Odyssey costumes for the Galileo.

The roving camera caught Galileo Set Director Stacy Carrell in the blatant act of thievery.  How could she steal costume pieces right under the nose of the Odyssey staff?  I'm guessing the Odyssey staff and crew were on an away mission when she struck.  The look of guilt on her face is all the evidence we need for a conviction.

Mr. Williamson  

Space News 
by Mark Daymont
spacerubble.blogspot.com

October was a Busy Month for Expedition 53

Astronaut Mark Vande Hei on EVA during one of the first two spacewalks in October. (NASA)

While science experiments and observations continue onboard the International Space Station, so does the unending resupply and maintenance of equipment. This month saw the crew perform three spacewalks working on the robotic arm, and a supply mission docking from Russia.

Astronauts Randy Bresnik and Mark Vande Hei making it look easy.

The spacewalk series was interrupted by the Progress docking, so let's start with the October 5th EVA. Expedition 53 Commander Randy Bresnik and astronaut Mark Vande Hei began the triple EVAs with a 6 hour and 55-minute walk to replace one of two Latching End Effectors (LEEs) on the robotic CanadArm2. The LEEs are designed to grapple objects before moving them. The astronauts also worked on some module insulation and cables.

The next EVA took place October 10th, again with Bresnik and Vande Hei. Over 6 hours and 26 minutes, they worked to lubricate the newly installed LEE, and then replaced a camera system on the end of the arm.

Russian Progress cargo spacecraft approaches the station near an already-docked Soyuz.

Before the astronauts could complete their 3rd EVA of October, Russia attempted to launch Progress 68P to the station to deliver supplies. The launch was scrubbed on October 12, due to faulty equipment on the launch pad at Baikonur in Kazakhstan. The problem was quickly fixed and a second attempt to launch was more successful on October 14. Instead of flying a shortened 6-hour flight to the ISS, ground controllers used an older 2-day approach plan for the craft. It arrived at the ISS on October 16th. The craft (also known as Progress MS-07) docked at the Russian-made Pirs module. 

Astronauts Mark Vande Hei and Pauolo Nespoli (ESA) help Joe Acaba move into the airlock.

The final EVA of October took place on the 20th, and lasted 6 hours and 49 minutes. They attached another camera to the CanadArm2, and completed some minor work. The EVA made the 5th spacewalk for Randy Bresnik and the 3rd for Joe Acaba,

The next major event for Expedition 53 will be a launch of Orbital ATK's Cygnus supply mission.

Theater Imaginarium
The Best Gifs of the Week Edited for a Gentler Audience