Saturdays at the Farpoint Space Education Center. The Young Coder's Clubs, Field Testing of Cutting Edge Simulator Software: Thorium and Interstellar. Private Missions and More. The Imaginarium.

Not an Empty Seat in the House for Farpoint's Saturday Young Coders Club

If It's Saturday, it's Warp Speed at Renaissance Academy's Farpoint Space Education Center

Hello Space Fans!
Saturdays are busy days at Renaissance Academy's Farpoint Space Education Center.  My day starts with the obligatory WalMart doughnut run at 7:00 A.M.  Doughnuts must be procured for the 52 members of Farpoint's Young Coders Club. Our Young Coders arrive in two waves.  The first class starts at 8:00 A.M. followed by Class Two at 9:00 A.M.  We use GoogleCS as our coding curriculum.  The Young Coders take to it like a duck to water. Google does most of the heavy lifting. I wander the room looking all knowledgeable, like teachers are trained to do, and let my Guru's (the GoogleCS name for volunteer helpers) answer the hard questions. The Young Coders are doing the 8 week Gaming Module.  Today they made cars zip around a track; at least that's what they were suppose to do.  Many of them took delight is programming multiple crashes of monumental proportions. 

The Early Bird Young Coder's Club

I have some pretty good kids in the Young Coder's program. They're anxious to learn and well behaved.  Realizing coding is the language all children should learn to some extend to prepare themselves for their future, I encourage them to have fun and experiment with program. 

Watch the Young Coders at work.

   

At 9:30 A.M. the WebDev Guild gathered in the Voyager's Briefing Room.  The WebDev Guild is Farpoint's advanced programming class for students taught by Alex and Crystal Anderson, Matt Ricks, and Isaac Ostler. 

Thorium Starship Controls: A Successful Private Mission

At 11:00 A.M. The USS Voyager was home the first Thorum Starship Controlled private mission flight directed by Alex Anderson with his wife Crystal occupying the second chair.  

Alex and Crystal Anderson in the Voyager Control Room. Thorium was up to the task we are happy to report.

The Thorium Right Wing Controls in Action

Thorium Left Wing Controls on the USS Voyager

The crew loved the mission and controls. Afterwards they booked a return trip.

Interstellar Starship Controls Demo for InfiniD Founder Casey Voeks and They To are Put to the Test on Interstellar's First Private Mission

Casey Voeks and Isaac Ostler Review Interstellar

In addition to everything else on Saturday, Farpoint ran a second private mission on Saturday where Isaac Ostler's Interstellar Simulator Controls were used for the first time for a private party. Before the mission, Isaac demonstrated Interstellar for Casey Voeks, CEO of InfiniD in the Voyager's Briefing Room.  

Isaac Ostler Training the Voyager's Communication Officer using Interstellar

Interstellar Stations on the USS Voyager

We've been using and debugging Interstellar for the Young Astronaut and Voyager Club Long Duration Missions day in and day out.  It won't be too long before Interstellar will be available for use in simulators everywhere.  

Farpoint is leading the way preparing our students for the future.  We have 260 student cadets in the Center's Young Astronaut and Voyager's clubs and 52 students in the Saturday morning Young Coders Clubs.  Farpoint is the testing grounds for the latest in simulator software research with its use of both Thorium and Interstellar. Farpoint offers private missions to the public and space camps in the summer.  Farpoint is a proud member of the Space EdVentures Consortium.  Contact us to learn more about our programs.

Mr. Williamson   

The Imaginarium

More From the Series "Where Are Those People From the Space Center's Old Staff / Cast Board. Are They Still Living Amongst Us?" Plus, Theater Imaginarium.

David Merrell Removing his Picture from the Cast "Staff" Board on the Day of his Retirement

From the Center and the Odyssey

Last Sunday I posted the first article highlighting the old Staff Picture Board at the front of the Briefing Room (home of today's Odyssey and Phoenix Simulators).  Using the Blog Directory in the right side bar you can find previous post on the "Staff / Cast" board and catch up on old staff from the Space Center's Voyager Era.

The photos are posted as they are today complete with staple marks, blemishes, warts and all. 

David Kyle Herring   

David Kyle Herring.  "The Fish"

Any remberences of the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center's Voyager Era would be incomplete without a tribute to this young man, The Great Fish himself, David Kyle Herring.  Kyle was my chief Imagineer.  If you enjoy today's Magellan, Galileo, and Phoenix you can thank Kyle for that.  

David Kyle's First Ship Galileo on the Eve of the Galileo's demolition and the Arrival of the his New Galileo

David Kyle's New Galileo, Build off site and Assembled in Central School's Cafeteria by Kyle and Team.

For over a decade Kyle oversaw the creation of those ships and any additions, refurbishments, and renovations required for the other ships. So much of Kyle exists in those ships I believe they could be thought of as horcruxes for his soul.  

David Kyle During the Building of the Phoenix

The Phoenix under construction in the Briefing Room.  I continued office work at my desk as normal during the chaos, dust, sawing, and hammering.

Mark Daymont, David Kyle, and Kyle's assistant showing off the prototype of the new Magellan's desk. The
Prototype was sent to the District woodshop which made the current Magellan furniture.

David Kyle oversaw the demolition of the Magellan I and the construction of the Magellan II, all on a shoestring budget
with help from Ed Sanderson and his Lone Peak students 

David Kyle's Look when he'd had it with red tape and bureaucracies 

Did Kyle ruffle a few feathers from time to time in the Ivory Tower? Sure did.  Did Kyle forcefully champion the Space Center and its expansions to the point of pushing policy into the "no one has ever done that before" realm?  Sure did.  Did he even drive me crazy from time to time? Absolutely, but I wouldn't have had it any other way.  From time to time we'd butt heads over some feature in the simulators I wanted this way and he wanted that way. In the end either I'd see it his way or we'd compromise. Rarely did I ever need to say NO, and if I did it was usually a budget issue. He wanted $$$$$$$$$ and I'd want $$.  In the end it was usually $$$$.  

David Kyle Flying a Voyager Overnight Mission

Kyle was a Voyager Flight Director.  He was the first person I allowed to fly the Voyager on the Overnight Camps. Back in the day I flew EVERY Voyager mission.  The pressures of running all those missions AND administering the Space Center was taking its toll on my sanity, patience, and mood.  Kyle saw that and through gentle persuasion, convinced me that he could do the job and maintain the Voyager's quality and reputation so I could use the Friday overnight camps to do office work instead of fly. It was a God send. I could go home earlier on Saturdays!  

David Kyle with Space Center Mom Lorraine During a Summer 48 Hour Camp

I could go on telling you more about Kyle, but when all is said and done, he rightfully occupies a spot in Space Center lore as a member of the Center's Founding Circle thanks to his contributions over the years. Please thank him if you ever have the pleasure of meeting him. 

David Kyle Today

David Kyle and I keep in touch and speak regularly and yes, there are times I use the "Reactivation Clause" in everyone's Space Center Contract to call him out to help with the new Voyager. 

David Kyle on December 21st helping solve the New Voyager's camera problems. He had it solved in no time.

David Kyle, Michelle and family

David Kyle "The Fish" married Michelle Hinman. Together they have two beautiful children and live in Orem.  Michelle is an RN at the Huntsman Cancer Institute.  David Kyle is an account executive and product designer at Design Manufacturing International. David Kyle spends his spare time chasing after his little ones and working on the election campaigns for local politicians and conservative causes.  

 Aaron Yeager

Aaron Yeager was an Odyssey Flight Director and master mission writer in the early 2000's. As you read in yesterday's blogpost, Aaron has the decibel record for loudest Odyssey crew screams during a mission.  I should know, my desk and the Odyssey shared the same room.  Aaron loved the Odyssey and loved the role of Flight Director.  Who wouldn't want to play Game Master and control the lives and destiny's of 8 younglings?

I lost touch with Aaron over the years but am happy to report that subspace communications have been established.  Aaron has consented to come out to see the new Voyager and catch up on old times. Thank you Facebook.  

Aaron leading a panel discussion at ComicCon in Salt Lake (all the way on the right, white shirt)

Aaron in his Flight Director Greens holding his firstborn

Aaron and family

In 2000 Aaron married Ruth Ann Sampson. Today they live in Clearfield, Utah.  Aaron spends much of his time writing books and doing the "Con" circuit.

Sorein Seibach

Soren was one of those Orem boys along with Stephen and James Porter and Jason Hills.  He volunteered for a time and then rose though the ranks to the position of Blue Shirt Supervisor.  He was also one of those gifted kids who knew more than I did about pretty much everything.  Soren helped on the programming side of things as well.  I've lost touch with Soren over the years, but know that he left Utah to attend Harvard University (see, I told you he was smart). 

Soren (checkered shirt) with his tribe of Voyager Boys

Soren was well liked by everyone - a great personality and dry sense of humor; the perfect blend for a Space Center staff member. 

Theater Imaginarium

The Best Gifs of the Week Edited for a Gentler Audience