Contact Victor Williamson with your questions about simulator based experiential education programs for your school.
SpaceCampUtah@gmail.com

Thursday, August 2, 2018

Meet the Starship Hyperion's Long Duration Mission Team. An Old Mission Restored and A New Mission Introduced. From the Archives: Pictures from the Voyager Era with Historical Posts. The Imaginarium.

Meet the Telos Discovery Space Center's Long Duration Mission Staff for the Hyperion.

The Long Duration Staff of the Hyperion at Telos U in Orem / Vineyard. 
Addison Mosier, Jensen Caldwell, Dr. Ryan Anderson, Parriss King.

     The Hyperon at Telos University is newest simulator in the Space EdVentures fleet.  Dr. Ryan Anderson is the Director.  Last month the Hyperion began running Long Duration Missions for both of the school's campuses.  I sat in on one mission a few weeks back.  I was impressed with the quality of the program and the professionalism of the staff.  Dr. Anderson crafted an excellent mission which is educational, fun, and therapeutic - meeting the needs of Telos's students. The squadrons visit the Hyperion once a week for the prolonged mission. 
     This week the Hyperion announces it is officially open for private missions.  Come and give the Hyperion a try.  I'm sure you'll be pleased.

Mr. Williamson





Hold On to your Seats and Don't Hyperventilate.  We met, We Imagined, We Created.  An Old Mission Returns Remastered and a New Mission Introduced.
  
Parriss King, Dr. Ryan Anderson, Nathan King, and Yours Truly behind the Maverick Gut Buster Soda
Brain Busting out some really cool mission ideas and tacticals.

     What do you get when you put three space center directors and one of the best flight directors in a room?  You get a couple of the best new missions about to hit the Space Centering World.  Yesterday we met in the Hyperion's Ready Room to flesh out an older mission. It's getting a reboot and a make over. Nathan King, the best in the business at tactical animations, will be doing the tactical screens.
     While neck deep in tactical creation I realized the cards for the resurrected mission from days of yore that Ryan and Nathan were imagineering would double for cards I needed for a new mission I've been working on.  I presented the idea to Ryan and Nathan.  I think all present were surprised the old man himself was still capable of stitching together what could be one of the best missions I've ever written (if I say so myself).  The four of us brainstormed endless plot twists, drama, and mind blowing discoveries this mission will introduce into the Farpoint Universe.  This mission, code named "Genesis", will offer inter school discovery missions for Young Astronaut and Voyager Clubs at our Space EdVenturing schools with the possibility of one or two joint missions run at the same time with all the simulators at once.  Look for more news on "Genesis" as it is available.

Mr. W.     


The Crew of the Odyssey showing the back of the ship toward the engineering section.
What a fine ship, the old Odyssey.

From the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center's Historical Archives
The Space Center Journal:
September 1, 2002 
Topics in this Journal: Almost all schools booked. This year's field trip missions and staffing. Large class loads. Problems in the cafeteria, the Starlab, and the Galileo.  Central to build a new addition to the school.  Can we have a room for the planetarium? Overnight camp went well.


Hello Troops,
Most of my week was spent in booking schools and private groups for field trips this year. In addition to my Space Center duties I spent time working with teachers and students at Central. 

Most of the year is booked. Only two schools in the Alpine District haven't booked yet - Windsor and Geneva. I sent letters to each school a week ago reminding them. I opened the calendar on Tuesday to schools out of this District. Once again, we will be seeing several 
outstanding teachers with their students from the Jordan and Granite Districts. 



The Orginial Odyssey's Engineering Section in the back of the ship.
The wall behind the Odyssey Engineer was the same wall behind the Voyager's Engineer on the opposite side. The Engineers from both ship could hear each other's missions

Jennifer Remy is working on the curriculum for the year. We will be telling the Stazi story in the Voyager, Odyssey, and Galileo. The lesson will focus on astrobiology and the holocaust (social studies tie in). Matt Long is working on the tactical and sensors stack. Soren Seibach
will be doing the science stack. I'll be meeting with Chris Call to work out the Odyssey version. Kyle Herring will be working with Matt Long and Alex Debirk to put together the Galileo version. We will be using the Galileo more this year than last due to the size of our classes. 

I was surprised to discover the number of schools with over 30 in their sixth grades. Once we hit the 29 mark the Galileo is wheeled out. The problem we have this year is timing. The Galileo staff can only work afternoons. Matt and Alex can cover afternoons but the cafeteria cannot. The afternoon mission starts at noon. The cafeteria doesn't empty until 12:30. For 30 minutes it is loud and impossible to run a mission. What makes it possible is the training time. If the kids can train during lunch then when they are ready to fly at 12:30 P.M. the 
cafeteria is fairly quiet then. A downside is the afternoon planetarium show which runs from 1:15 to 1:45 P.M. - right during the Galileo mission. The noises from the Galileo will become a nuisance for whoever is running the show. We will manage. We always do.

[note:  Before the school's new addition was built, the morning and afternoon Starlab shows were done in the school's cafeteria]


The Odyssey in Green Light for the Summer Mission of 2007,

Central Elementary will have an addition added to the school within the next two years. I'm hoping we can convince the powers that be to give us a room with a planetarium dome so we can do shows at any time without inconveniencing the school. Of course - all it takes is money.  I'm trying to save what we can without scrimping on our curriculum and 
maintenance.
We must keep our missions and lesson professional and our simulators clean and in good repair. That has to take top priority.  Maintain what we have and then go ask for more. 



A three day Overnight Camp marches on its stomach.  Aleta Clegg was the Space Center's
Cafeteria manager during the end of the Voyager Era.  Nobody ever left the cafeteria hungry!

There were a few private missions run this week and one overnighter. The overnight mission was mixed 4H and public. The Voyager mission went well. We had Jennifer Remy playing the doctor and Bill Schuler played the evil Admiral Porthos. Mercy Strike seems to have her feet. The Magellan was troubled by poltergeists. Her sound system went on the blink along 
with several frozen computers and a track of red lights that don't work. These are all items we will correct. As I said, the maintenance of our simulators has to be paramount. Jennifer was the primary girls chaperone while Lorraine Houston took the weekend off for a trip to Idaho. We celebrated A.J. Birrell's birthday before bed on Friday evening. The staff was very appreciative of the new mattresses in the Briefing Room thanks to Lorraine. We have new mattresses coming for the sick bay as well. 

Well troops, not much else to say. I'm getting excited to open for the year. Still lots to do.

Mr. Williamson



Supper on the second day of the 3 Day EdVenture Camp.  After supper it was time for swimming and then
Movie Night.

From the Archives:  Getting Ready for the September 2002 Honor's Night.
August 30, 2002 

Topics in this Post:  What you can earn.  What you must do to earn an Honor.  A list of all those who are receiving honors.

Enter your vote today! A new poll has been created for the spaceedventures group:

Honor's Night Poll. Honor's Night will be September 14 from 2:30 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.
If you've earned an Honor please indicated in this poll.


o I've reached 500 points since last Honor's Night: 
o I've reached 1500 points since last Honor's Night 
o I've reached 2000 points since last Honor's Night: 
o I've earned 1 shuttle patch since last Honor's Night: 
o I've earned 2 shuttle patches since last Honor's Night: 
o I've earned 3 shuttle patches since last Honor's Night: 
o I'm a Ranger and earned another bar since last Honor's Night: 
o I've become a new Voyager since last Honor's Night: 
o I've become a new Pioneer since last Honor's Night: 


Effective: March 6, 2002 


Kyle Herring running the post swimming Movie Night.  The campers brought their sleeping bags and pillows into either the cafeteria or gym for a video or two before bedtime.

Advancement: 
1 Shuttle Patch is earned for every 150 points earned and 6 hours in a Voyager Academy Class, Super Space Saturday, or Naval Academy.

Pioneer:
• Entry Level Volunteer Organization. 1 Mission Observation in 4 of the 5 simulators.

Voyager: 
• Outstanding performance with the customers at the Space Center. Outstanding work performance and work habits in the simulators.  Seniority Points and 2 Shuttle Patches.
•Center Director will make the final decision based on openings in the Voyager Society.

Ranger: 
•Outstanding performance with the customers at the Space Center. (10 camper care points: A. Lord of the Votes. B. Set Director recognition.)  Outstanding work performance and work habits in the simulators.  Recommendation from your Set Director.  Complete pass off of 2 simulators.  Egroup Club Points and 4 Shuttle Patches earned. Mr. Williamson will make the final decision based on job openings.

Ranger: 1 Bar 
• $12.00 gratuity per overnight mission. Outstanding performance with the customers at the Space Center. (15 camper care points: A. Lord of the Votes. B. Set Director recognition.)
•Outstanding work performance and work habits in the simulators.
•Complete pass offs from 3 of the 5 simulators. Earning total of 6 Shuttle Advancement Patches earned. Seniority Points. Center Director will make the final decision based on job 
openings.



The Next Morning it was time for a quick breakfast before the start of the morning five hour mission.

Ranger: 2 Bars 
• $20.00 gratuity per overnight mission. Outstanding performance with the customers at the Space Center. 
(20 camper care points: A. Lord of the Votes. B. Set Director recognition.)
•Outstanding work performance and work habits in the simulators.  Complete pass offs from 3 of the 5 simulators. Earning 8 Shuttle Advancement Patches. Seniority Points. Center Director will make the final decision based on job openings. 

Ranger: 3 Bars 
• $28.00 gratuity per overnight mission. Outstanding performance with the customers at the Space Center. 
(25 camper care points: A. Lord of the Votes. B. Set Director recognition.)
• Outstanding work performance and work habits in the simulators.
• Complete pass offs from 4 of the 5 simulators. Earning 10 Shuttle Advancement Patches.
• Seniority Points. Center Director will make the final decision based on job openings.

Ranger: 4 Bars
• $36.00 gratuity per overnight mission. Outstanding performance with the customers at the Space Center. 
(30 camper care points: A. Lord of the Votes. B. Flight Director recognition.)
• Outstanding work performance and work habits in the simulators.
• Complete pass offs from 4 of 5 simulators.
• Earning 12 Shuttle Advancement Patches.
• Seniority Points. 
• Center Director will make the final decision based on job openings.

Ranger: 5 Bars
• Time Card. 
• At least 16 years old. 
• Outstanding performance with the customers at the Space Center. 
(35 camper care points: A. Lord of the Votes. B. Flight Director recognition.)
• Outstanding work performance and work habits in the simulators.
• Complete pass offs from all simulators.
• Earning 14 Shuttle Advancement Patches.
• Seniority Points. 
• Center Director will make the final decision based on job openings.



Breakfast is nearly done for this group of campers in the last June EdVenture Camp of 2007.

I've carefully gone through the database to determine the promotions and awards for Honor's Night the afternoon of September 14th. This is what the records show:

Corey M: 1 patch earned
Brian T: 1 patch earned
Josh Babb: Ranger and 2 patches earned.
Matt S: 1 patch earned
Richard Orcutt: 2 patches earned
Stacy Carroll: 1 patch earned
Wesley Moss: 1 patch earned
Brady Young: 2 patches and 1 Ranger Bar Earned
Bryson Lystrup: 1 patch earned
Charlie Heaton: 1 patch and 1 bar earned.
Julie Collette: 2 patches and 1 Bar Earned.
Kevin Anderson: 1 patch earned
Landon Hemsley: 2 patches and 1 Bar Earned.
Matt Long: 1 patch and 1 Bar Earned
Metta Smith: 1 patch earned
Randy Jepperson: 2 patches and 1 Bar Earned
Ryan Parsons: 1 patch earned
Scott Slaugh: 2 patches and 1 bar earned
Tanner Edwards: 1 patch earned

Casey Voeks: 1 patch earned 
Daniel C: 1 patch earned
Kathryn A: 1 patch earned
Sam Brady: 1 patch earned
Steven Bristow: 1 patch earned.


Explorers Moving to Pioneers:
B.J. Warner
Emily Perry
Brady M.
Brent Hawley.


This list does not include those getting their 500 pt. pillowcases and 1500 pt. blankets. 

Please check to see if my records match what you think you are earning. If there is a conflict please let me know as soon as possible. Please make your vote in the egroup poll reflect the information in this post.

Thank you.
Mr. Williamson


The Imaginarium



































































































































Sunday, July 29, 2018

InfiniD Takes the Starship Experience to Adobe's World Headquarters in San Jose, California. Great Things are Happening. Utah Valley University's Prep Class flies on the Galileo. Watch a Video of their Experience. Imaginarium Theater

Casey Voeks at Adobe's Headquarters in San Jose, California
      Who better to spread the good news of experiential education through simulations than our good friends and partners at InfiniD?  InfiniD has mastered the art of educational simulations; and using that understanding, successfully crafted the starship experience developed over the last 28 years at the Christa McAuliffe Space Center and other Space Education Centers into an affordable computer lab based experience.  It's The Space Center experience for the masses.
     On Friday InfiniD's leadership took a road trip to Adobe's World Headquarters at San Jose, California.



   
     It was Adobe's Field Trip Extravaganza, put on yearly for the children of Adobe's employees. InfiniD was asked to run simulations throughout the day.  Last year InfiniD took the mobile starship Titan. This year they showcased the new InfiniD by converting a meeting room into a starship bridge. Adobe was getting the real InfiniD experience.  


The meeting room at Adobe waiting to be converted into a Starship.
See how easy it is for any school, worldwide, to have a simulator of their own.

InfiniD's Skyler Carr outside Adobe. It's Showtime!
     Step One:  The Room Conversion. A few lights, a few laptops or Chromebooks (InfiniD's controls are browser based so they can run on any platform) set up the sound system and the ship was ready for launch.


     Step Two: Set up the posters.  InfiniD ran two different missions, one for the little ones aged 4 to 7. and another for the 11 - 14 age range.  





     With the room (ship) ready for launch, the first crews were anxiously waiting.




     Kendrick Gines, InfiniD's master flight director, directed the missions in the same room with the young astronauts.  This is the InfiniD way.  Teachers can monitor the class and pace the curriculum much better by being in the room rather than sitting in a control room watching from a camera.  In a way, flight directing in the same room is really old school. I ran the first starship simulations in room 19 at Central School back in the Spring of 1983 in the same room with my students. I sat behind my desk with an overhead and boom box cassette player.     

Kendrick is visible on the far left.
Notice the simplicity of the set up.  Easy to used. Easy to understand, and highly effective. 
Notice the effects lighting on the floor. That is all it takes. 


      Of course it was a hit.  Adobe's youngsters loved the experience.   



      They say an army marches on its stomach.  The same is true of a starship crew.  Casey, Skyler, and Kendrick took a lunch break between missions to recharge for the afternoon flights. 
      InfiniD is doing great things.  They will be in 80 schools throughout Utah by the start of of the 2018-2019 school year. That number grow as the months pass and more and more schools realize the value of this unique educational experience for their students.  
     "To InfiniD and Beyond!"  

Victor




     Please enjoy a fun video of a group of campers from UVU PREP filmed aboard the USS Galileo at the Christa McAuliffe Space Center this last week. From within the chaos a bit of team work and quick decision making seems to have saved them for now.


     UVU PREP is a free STEM Summer program for middle and junior high students, which provides three summers of rigorous academic instruction, educational hands-on projects, challenging homework assignments, daily career awareness and field trips.   
     The program allows 7th, 8th, and 9th grade students who have an interest and aptitude in Science, Technology, Engineering, and/or Mathematics fields to receive accelerated curriculum in preparation for high school and higher education. UVU PREP strives to provide opportunities for underrepresented and first generation students to pursue STEM studies and careers.



Imaginarium Theater
The Best Gifs From Around the World Edited for a Gentler Audience