A State of the Art Planetarium as Part of the New Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center? Absolutely, Let's Roll Up our Sleeves and Get It Done. The Imaginarium.

A State of the Art Planetarium Coming to Pleasant Grove?  Absolutely!

The Christa McAuliffe Planetarium in the photo above is located at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, New Hampshire. There are plans in development to build a state of the art planetarium like the one in Concord as part of the new Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center at Central Elementary School, Pleasant Grove, Utah. 

The basic imagineering for the new Space Center and Planetarium has begun

The current Central Elementary School, home to the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center, in Pleasant Grove is nearing the end of structural life. Plans are underway to demolish the present building and build a new Central Elementary on the same site.  Funds for the new building were allocated in the last bond election. We're looking at 2019 as the construction year.  With the new school will come a new Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center. Now the question everyone is asking, "What will the new Center be like?" 

The Christa McAuliffe Center on the campus of Framingham State University in Massachusetts.
It is time for a center of this quality in Pleasant Grove. 

I asked Mr. James Porter that question. James is the CMSEC Director and chief imagineer.  "Well, that depends," he replied. "The basic Space Center will be much like the one we currently have.  However, this center is too small for the enormous demand for services within the school district and community. We need more than the basic. I propose a much larger Space Center.  The Center we want to build will need both district and private funds." 

An example of a school-based planetarium with state of the art projector and permanent dome.

James, his staff, and the new CMSEC Advisory Board are working toward a Space Center which will include 6 simulators, a 40 ft state of the art planetarium, lobby, staff room, briefing and outreach rooms, and custom hallways and transition rooms for each simulator.  "No longer will you step into a school and then onto a simulator. We'll be sending excited chills up your spine as your approach our new building and you'll begin your immersive experience as soon as you enter the doors and it won't stop until your dreams end weeks after your flight," Mr. Porter said.  

The website outlining the project will be finished this week with everything needed to start accepting donations.  

Keep watching The Troubadour for exciting news as this project moves forward. Contact Mr. James Porter for more information. spacecenter@alpinedistrict.org.

Mr. Williamson

The Imaginarium