Volunteer Family Night: Celebrating 35 Years of Space Center Magic!
Last night — November 8, 2025 — the Space Center threw open its airlocks for one of the most anticipated events of our 35th anniversary celebration: Volunteer Family Night!
Bill Schuler with the Display Case full of his plastic modelled creations.
It was an evening to celebrate our volunteers — the heart and soul of the Space Center — and to let their families see firsthand what makes this place so stellar.
Bradyn getting things set up
Anya, Omar, and Eli preparing the cookies and cupcakes
By 6:30 PM, families began arriving, filling the lobby with excited chatter and that familiar buzz of cosmic curiosity. Our 80 volunteers and their families were split into Alpha and Beta groups, each with a mission plan packed with out-of-this-world activities.
🪐 The Mission Plan
Each crew’s journey included:
1️⃣ A planetarium presentation led by the ever-brilliant Brylee, who guided guests through the stars.
2️⃣ Simulator tours with Jon and Mitch, giving families an inside look at the magic behind our legendary missions.
3️⃣ A dazzling laser show in the planetarium, engineered by Mr. Porter and Brylee — a real cosmic light symphony!
4️⃣ A Space Center history presentation in the faculty room, where stories of our 35-year journey came to life.
5️⃣ And of course, refreshments in the gym — because even astronauts need a little sugar!
6:30 P.M.the volunteers and families begin to gather
The Planetarium Team: Brylee and Mr. Porter. The red lighting because he was working in the planetarium's crow's nest on a laser show.
At the refreshment stations, Anya and her team ran the cookie decorating table like pros, while Bradyn and Jacqueline Lystrup served up cotton candy and snow cones for two straight hours (talk about endurance training!).
Mission Accomplished
By 8:30 PM, the mission was complete — it was a night to remember.
Huge thanks to:
Mr. Porter, our Director, for helping me organize the event and crafting that incredible laser show.
Brylee Perry, for her stellar planetarium presentation.
Bill Schuler and Mark Daymont, who kept the lobby and display case running smoothly.
Mitch Foote and Jon Parker, for leading simulator tours and helping with the history presentation.
Anya Whiting, Eli, and Omar, for keeping the cookie and cupcake stations deliciously busy.
Bradyn and Jacqueline Lystrup, for providing the carnival atmosphere with their goodies.
Mitch and Jon
And, of course, thank you to all our volunteers — for showing off your Space Center pride, sharing your love of exploration, and giving your families a true insider’s view of the adventures you help create every day.
Here’s to 35 years of inspiring young minds to look up — and to the next 35 years of wonder, teamwork, and discovery.
Happy 35th Birthday, Space Center!
Ad Astra!
Victor Williamson
Thoughts and a Short Video by James Porter on the Space Center's 35th Birthday
Today marks 35 years since the Voyager simulator first started taking students on experiences beyond the limitations of a typical classroom. So many individuals have collectively helped us to reach this point, so we give thanks to them and those who continue to inspire through the discipline of wonder. Much has changed in the world since our launch in 1990. What hasn't changed is that we are part of an amazing community. A community with the unique collective experience as starship crews exploring our universe through the endless reaches of our imaginations.
We can't imagine 35 years with out you. Happy 35th anniversary to the Christa McAuliffe Space Center and her many crews.
James Porter
Space Center Director
My Reflections on the Space Center's 35th Birthday
On November 8, 1990, ago the Space Center opened its doors to the world with a massive open house and dedication program. Hundreds of people attended. The lines to tour the Starship Voyager stretched all the way down the hallway of Central School. We filled the school's gym for the program. Our guest speaker was Senator Jake Garn, Utah's Senator who went into space aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1985.
Fast forward thirty-five years to today. Writing as the founder, I want to say thank you to the many hundreds of staff and volunteers who've worked hard over the decades to make the Space Center what it is today; and thank you to the hundreds of thousands of people who've attended a Space Center field trip, camp, private mission, class, etc. for your support.
My inspiration to build the first starship Voyager at Central School in 1989-1990 was rooted in the classroom starship I operated from 1983-1990. The classroom simulator was simple; student desks, poster board controls, a boom box cassette player, an overhead projector, overheads, and a good story. We did our classroom deep space explorations as part of my sixth grade curriculum. More elaborate simulations were used for my Young Astronaut Chapter meetings. Instead of using my classroom, we set up our desks and poster controls in the gym and used the entire school as our starship.
The original paper helm station for the classroom starship Pegasus.
I'm often asked, "How did this place [the Space Center] get started?" It's a story I've shared hundreds of times over the last thirty years. Many of you Troubadours know the story so I'll be brief. Spring 1983. Because of a clerical mistake at BYU, my 3rd grade student teaching assignment in Springville was mistakenly given to another student. I was called into the education department office and asked if I'd be kind enough to take a 6th grade student teaching position at Central Elementary School in Pleasant Grove. Mr. Mike Thompson was to be my cooperating teacher. I didn't know where Pleasant Grove was but gladly took the assignment; I liked the 6th grade curriculum and the more mature students.
My 6th Grade Student Teaching Class. Mr. Thompson is on the left. Mr. Emal (principal) on the right. This was their class picture taken in September 1982
Mr. Thompson asked me to teach the space science unit. Knowing this unit would make up a large part of my student teaching grade, I wanted to impress my professor with something out of the box and unusual. I decided to copy Carl Sagan's Cosmos TV series and take the class out into space to witness first hand what I was teaching. Classroom computers were unheard of in the Spring of 1983 so I created poster board controls for the student's desks. I drew most of my visuals (tacticals) on overhead projector plastic 81/2 by 11 sheets and ran the simulations from behind my desk with an overhead projector. My cassette player boom box provided the music. My voice did the sound effects and different voices and accents for my main engineer, computer, and aliens.
That spring, the class and I took several voyages into space. The professor was impressed and gave me an A. Mr. Thompson enjoyed it and wrote me up a glowing recommendation. My student teaching ended with a job offer. Mr. Frandsen, the other sixth grade teacher in room 20, announced his retirement and the job was offered. The rest, as they say, is history.
The poster board weapons and engine controls. The wear and tear speaks of the many missions and hours of fun this poster provided my students over those many years.
The poster board controls for the USS Pegasus were easy to use. The student spoke the button's name while pushing the button. From behind my desk, I'd year the student and make the appropriate sound whilst searching through my stack of overheads for the right visual effect.
These young Starfleet officers are in their mid early 50's today
Here you go, the USS Pegasus sensors station.
The ship's transporter station. Yes, the dials actually spin
The navigation station. I used water based markers to hand draw a map of the sector on the plastic covered top section. The students used rulers and protractors to plot and speak their courses.
One of the engineering posters for the USS Pegasus.
The communications poster controls.
The inspiration for my classroom simulations came from Carl Sagan's television series "Cosmos" which aired in 1980. I watched Cosmos while I was a student at BYU on a small 12 inch black and white TV. In Cosmos, Carl Sagan ventured deep into space aboard his starship to inspire the American public to look up and realize where life originated and where it can go. Even today I'll rewatch the opening to Cosmos on YouTube and feel the same feelings I did then.
The Space Center's mission is the same as it was on our opening day in 1990, we work to create a space-faring civilization.
Carl Sagan said, "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known". Perhaps that something is ourselves, and the knowledge that we are all one, woven together into the eternal fabric of time and space.
Ad Astra!
Victor
Imaginarium Theater
The Week's Best Videos From Around the World Edited for a Gentler Audience
Just in time for Halloween came the Fright Flights and the planetarium Halloween laser show. They ran all weekend.
The Space Place at Renaissance Academy
Flightmares on the Starship Voyager ran for the past two weekends.
October meant Flightmares at Renaissance Academy's The Space Place. Bracken Funk, Megan Warner, and their crew of merry Renaissance Voyager Club members put together another one of Bracken's famous "Oops I've had an accident in my pants" missions for those who can't repeat "this is only a mission, this is only a mission," and believe it.
Megan and some of The Space Place's Volunteers Prep for Saturday's Flightmares
Our Friends at Mission.io
I did all day teacher trainings in Vegas. One school at a time. One faculty meeting at a time. Little by little we keep growing this thing. Most of the founding team is on the road this week promoting Mission.io in Florida, Nevada and Michigan. Next week is Wyoming for me. Give it five years and everyone in K12 education will know Mission.io.
Casey Voeks
The October Voyager Club Meeting
Hey, you old timers remember the early Saturday morning donut run for the overnight camps? Well, one Saturday per month the tradition continues, sort of. One Saturday every month I arrive at the Space Center early early on a Saturday morning with drink in hand and a wagon full of donuts and supplies for the monthly Voyager Club meeting. Our volunteers comprise the Voyager Club's membership.
I'm not the only one who shows up early on a Saturday when there is work to be done. Who do you think took this picture? Yep, James Porter, Space Center Director. Our motto, "There is too much to do and NO time to do it!"
The Imaginarium Theater
The Week's Best Videos From Around the World, Edited for a Gentler Audience
The Space Center's Voyager Club met for its monthly meeting on October 25, 2025 in the school's faculty room. From 8:00 - 8:30 several games of Bingo were played with lots of prizes going out to the lucky winners. Tyler Weight, the Voyager Club's Acting Department Head called a few games. That was a first for us. He did a great job with his commanding booming voice.
The bingo game wrapped up at 8:30 A.M. for the meeting's official start. Eavie and Alex, the club's president and vice president, opened the meeting and introduced new club members.
New club member Brigham was introduced to the membership
After new members were introduced, the meeting continued with two workshops and a prize raffle. Eavie taught a workshop on theatrical makeup. Tyler taught the second of two workshops on the proper way to be a great bridge doctor during missions. Members who completed both doctoring workshops will have a personalized medical ID badge created for them to wear when they work in the simulators as the doctor character.
Members who took the makeup workshop will have their rank/ID cards stamped. The stamp gives them exclusive access to the Space Center's makeup kit.
Thank you Tyler, Eavie, and Alex for your presentations and thank you to all our Voyager Club members for attending. The next meeting will be held the last Saturday of November.
Nan Bryan Retires from the Space Center. She Walked Away from the Falcon with a Rousing Cheer From Her Last Crew.
Nan with her last Staff and Volunteers. October 24, 2025
Nan Bryan retired from active Space Service last Friday and will be heading planetside to live the life of a civilian. Her time at the Space Center was rewarding for her and an example of a postive, Can Do, attitude for all of us at the Space Center.
She started as a volunteer in June 2021 and worked her way up through the ranks to supervisor and then flight director. I had the privilege of working with her during my brief tenure as a Cassini flight director a few years ago. She was great with the volunteers and staff, and superb with the crews. She always had a smile and a "we will get through this" no matter what was happening in the ship.
Nan flying the Falcon for her last mission
Nan was holding down a few jobs over the last several months while trying to go to school. She discovered one important life lesson in juggling all of these commitments - you can't do everything. Sometimes you need to move on to accomplish life goals.
Nan, on the Falcon, for the Last Hurrah.
The Space Center community thanks Nan for sharing her time and talents with us. We wish her all the best for the wonderful things that she will do in the years to come. And So Say We All!
The video below if the last few minutes of Nan's final mission on Friday evening, October 24, 2025. The video ends with a fantastic final CHEER from her crew. What a way to go out Nan! And on a personal note to Nan, you always know where I am on a Saturday afternoon in my chair, working on my computer in the Staff Room at the Space Center. Come by for a catch up visit any time.
Mr. Williamson
Imaginairum Theater
The Week's Best Videos From Around the World Edited for a Gentler Audience
You Have Died. RIP for this Young Astronaut Squadron on the Starship Voyager
All Flight Directors, Supervisors, and Volunteers know what that means for a crew in one of our many simulators. Bracken Funk, director of The Space Place at Renaissance Academy, snapped this photo capturing the death sign's reaction from a 3rd grade group of new Young Astronauts on the Starship Voyager. Bless their hearts, they tried soooo hard and BANG, Bracken, Megan, and the staff and volunteers on the Voyager hit them with the consequences for their decisions and actions. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? These Young Astronauts licked their wounds, suffered through Bracken's hideous Death Time Music torture, and returned to fight on.
The Space Place is well into the school year's Voyager and Young Astronaut Clubs after school program for nearly 200 students at Renaissance Academy in grades 3 to 9. Bracken's 2025-2026 team consists of myself, Megan, and Lindsey. We are also privileged to work alongside our outstanding Voyager volunteers and supervisors.
From the Archives. A Look at the Space Center's Glorious Past in Pictures
The Space Center's First Logo and Stationary. Circa 1990
I had a local artist design the logo. It looks a bit "funky" right? To understand the logo you must understand the original mission of the first starship Voyager. The Voyager was to be a multi-universe simulator. My goal at opening was to use the Voyager for outer space, ocean, inner body, and atomic scale missions. You can see those mission elements in the first logo.
Star: For outer space missions
Waves: For ocean (submarine) missions.
Atom: for inner space missions (body and atomic scale)
Flame: Represents the light of education
That was 35 years ago this November 8. Much has changed since then, yet the spirit of that first Space Center lives on in everything we do today. Our mission remains what it has always been - to inspire new generations of students to look up and wonder.
Carl Sagan once said, "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." That thought continues to motivate me. I think of it often as I walk into the Space Center and work alongside the Center's amazing staff and volunteers who carry that same sense of curiosity and purpose.
Ad Astra!
Mr. Williamson
From the Archives. The Troubadour, Before the Blog 2007
Before The Troubadour Blog, I put our regular newsletters to the staff and volunteers. Here is an example of one of those newsletters from July 2007 highlighting things from that summer's space camps. Look at the missions we ran that summer 18 years ago. You'll recognize some of them.
Mr. Williamson Had Little Patience During Those Summer Camps As Seen In This Post. Today's Space Center Directors Can Sympathize I'm Sure
The second part of the newsletter has me unloading on the staff and volunteers about attitudes. Looking back on what I wrote, I think I was a bit too rough but remember, I worked nearly 100 hours per week at the Space Center during those summer months. I was always frazzled, and the staff did a good job cooperating - most of the time :)
From the Archives: The Volunteer Manual from 2017
The Imaginarium
The Week's Best Videos From Around the World, Edited for a Gentler Audience
The Christa McAuliffe Space Center's New EdVenture App and Other Things
By James Porter
Director
We are excited to announce our NEW free EdVenture App, NEW laser shows, and many memorable space camp opportunities available this school year.
EdVenture App
You now have the ability to track which of our simulator missions you have completed aboard our starships. Any officer logs and achievements from your explorations in space are also logged on our newly developed app. This is the first stage in development as we work to enable crews to connect more fully with your experiences with us as well as other educational adventures.
Our newest laser show opened this summer and we are excited to welcome more guests to enjoy music from some of your favorite movies. Star Wars, Harry Potter, Jaws, Indiana Jones, and Jurassic Park are a few of the titles we have chosen to match with the stunning effects of our laser light equipment. Come see this family friendly experience and embrace the nostalgia as you share this unique experience together.
A special Halloween themed laser show is soon to be announced with limited showings at the end of the month. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram for more details.
Space Camps
We are now offering limited Day Camps on several Saturdays throughout the school year. These 9 hour long experiences can be signed up for as individuals or with friends. Join us for challenges that will have participants ages 10-14 thinking critically, solving problems, and working together to face epic trials full of fun filled characters.
October Fright Flights are also available as specialty camps where you can reserve one of our specific simulators and missions that have a scarier theme.
Thank you for your patronage
A question we often get asked is how our program has grown so much over the years. We are able to do so because of patrons like you who continue to come and enjoy what we have to offer. The revenue generated from birthday parties, camps, planetarium shows, and all the different activities we offer keep our program going. Those funds help support our field trips, volunteer activities, and content creation.
It takes a lot to create all of the different missions, software, and shows. Your participation directly sustains the growth of our program and expands what we can offer. Thank you, from all of us here at the Space Center, for your ongoing support. The vast majority of our visitors come because someone else recommended our hidden space gem to them.
Progress Continues on the Two New Starships and New Starbase at the Lion's Gate Space Center at Lakeview Academy at Saratoga Springs
By the Lion's Gate Staff
Progress is underway on the new ships! A lots happened in the past months. Too much to share in a single post, but I’ll try my best!
What once was a lawn is now flattened and filled with new structures! While construction on the ships themselves hasn’t started yet, the areas around them have. Walls are going up, and support beams for the expanded Lion’s Gate are starting to be placed! The most exciting update so far is the stairs visible in the last photo!
As you may know, the new station simulator will be on the second floor, and the newly installed stairs will lead to the new sim!
It’s amazing watching the future of the Lions Gate Space Center forming right before our eyes!
It is That Time of Year Again.......
Ensign Bradik sat alone by the ship’s engine core. The words of the ancient writer Arthur C. Clark echoed in her mind.
Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.
Tightly Gripping the spanner, while hearing distant footfalls, she now knew the answer, too late for some of her crew.
Imaginarium Theater
The Week's Best Videos From Around the World Edited for a Gentler Audience
