Levi Earns the Royal Blues at the Space Center. The Last Two Summer Space Camps and Connor Larsen Makes Another (and most likely his last) Exit Planetside....... The Imaginarium Theater

Rachel Congratulating Levi On Successfully Completing the Supervising Internship Program

     

     The Space Center has a new Cassini supervisor.  Levi passed the Internship Program and received his Royal Blues from Tabitha Ricks and James Porter, signifying he is a fully accredited supervisor - and he goes on the payroll!!!  Levi is very excited about that.  

     Please ignore the obvious bribe captured in the photo above.  "Keeping your flight directors happy is necessary in this business," Levi explained to me when I asked him about the goodies Rachel was carrying.

     Rachel jumped in to explain. "He would have gotten the pass anyway.  He has all the qualities we look for on the Cassini: good grades, a good attitude, a good work ethic, and he knows when to discreetly gift goodies."  Rachel reached out to shake Levi's hand as she said, "Levi will go far in the Cassini."  

     Congratulations, Levi, on your accomplishment.  Now don't forget, I can never say no to a pumpkin chocolate chip muffin. 

Mr. Williamson 

 

The Last Two Camps of the 2026 Summer Space Camps at the Christa McAuliffe Space Center:  The Officer's Camp and The Extended Camp.  And Another Goodbye to Connor Larsen.  

     And just as soon as it started, it all came to an end on the last two days of the summer camp season 2026.  The last Officer's Camp was held on July 30th, and the last Extended Camp was held on July 31.  I took several photos of both camps for today's post, adding another milestone to the vivid and colorful Space Center history that this blog documents.  

Connor Larsen

     The Extended Camp was Connor Larsen's last mission before moving to Florida to pursue an advanced degree in organ.  Sadly, it may also be his last mission because if all things go well, Connor will land a university teaching position somewhere in the world and the Space Center will be just a memory in his interesting life story.  

     I want to personally thank Connor for all the years he contributed to the program to make it what it is today.  He is gifted, caring, and talented.  He is one of those rare people who, from time to time, walk through the Space Center's doors and end up making a huge impact on all our lives.  

     The very best of luck to you, Connor, as you pursue your dreams!  

And Now, the Last Two Summer Camps of 2026

     

Imaginarium Theater

The Week's Best Videos From Around the World, Edited for a Gentler Audience

With the Last of the Summer Camps Complete, The Christa McAuliffe Space Center and Renaissance Academy's The Space Place Take a Three Week Vacation for Maintenance, New Computers, and Repairs. The Imaginarium Theater.

 Hello Troops,

The 2026 Summer Space Camp Season is over at the Space Center in Pleasant Grove, with the last camp held on Friday.  The Space Place at Renaissance Academy did their last summer camp the week before.

The Christa McAuliffe Space Center will be closed until August 21.  The Space Place at Renaissance Academy in Lehi is open for private missions only.  You can book a private mission on the beautiful Starship Voyager at TheSpacePlace.org.   

The Troubadour Blog is going to take a week off so I can focus on a few other projects I want to finish before I have to return to school for classroom and curriculum preparations and teacher meetings on August 10th.  Students arrive at Renaissance for the start of the year on August 17. 

You can still enjoy a new Imaginarium Theater below.  Have fun as the summer ticks to an end, and I'll see you next Sunday with a new Troubadour Post.  

Ad Astra!

Mr. Williamson   

Imaginarium Theater

The Week's Best Videos From Around the World, Edited for a Gentler Audience

The July Voyager Club Meeting at the Space Center. New Attendance Record Set! The Galileo Flight Director Alex Russon, Retires from the Space Center. Photos from the Extended Space Camp. The Imaginarium Theater

The July Voyager Club Meeting.  8:00 AM, July 25

The Space Center's Voyager Club met for its July monthly meeting on Saturday.  The Voyager Club is open to anyone with an interest in space, astronomy, science fiction, and, most importantly, to those who want to volunteer at the Space Center. Club members are ages 12 and up.  They come from all over northern Utah.

Introduction of new members
  

July's meeting set an all-time attendance record with over 50 members! We filled one of the classrooms to overflowing.  The meeting started at 8:00 AM with bingo and the dispensing of lots of sugar and other confectionery delights.  Evie, the club's president, started the official meeting at 8:30 AM with the introduction of new members.

  

Tabitha Ricks Discussing the Internship Program

Several items of business were discussed after new member introductions.

1). Membership Code of Conduct was reviewed.  

2). Clarification on the new simulator passes was given.

3). Dave Stevens talked about a new CTE initiative he is working on so interested club members could volunteer at the Space Center and receive high school credit. 

4). Matt Ricks invited members to help him in the Space Center's wiring room. Matt is building all the cool electrical prop panels you see in the ships.  

5). Tabitha Ricks talked about the Space Center's Internship Program, what it is, and how members could be accepted into the program through the application process.

Club members working with ferrofluid and magnets

Jason Trump, director of education at Clark Planetarium, is a Voyager Club educator.  He gave an excellent presentation about magnetism as it relates to our Sun. For instance, what causes solar flares, why are they dangerous to astronauts, and why are we hearing a lot about them right now? 

Jason brought 26 containers holding ferrofluid so the members could see how magnets affect the fluid, similar to how the Sun's magnetism affects solar plasma. 

Club members went outside and got to watch the sun and all its glory through a hydrogen-alpha telescope.

The general membership meeting ended with a raffle.  Hundreds of dollars' worth of prizes were given away.  

Acting 101 Class

The Acting Class 101 for new volunteers was held directly after the general membership meeting.  Tyler Weight is responsible for training new volunteers in the finer points of Space Center acting and costuming. 

The August Voyager Club meeting will be held on Saturday, August 29.  For more information on the Voyager Club, visit our website. VoyagerClub.org.

Alex Russon Retires from the Space Center and Goes Planetside to Serve an LDS Mission

Alex. April 2022 left and July 2026 right

Alex Russon started volunteering at the Space Center in April 2022 as a young junior high student.  He worked his way through the ranks until he reached his goal as a Galileo Flight Director.  Brylee Perry was his mentor. 

Thank you, Alex, for many years of service and for your example of hard work and diligence.  Thank you for making the Space Center experience special for hundreds and hundreds of campers.  You will be truly missed by your co-workers and volunteers.    

Alex's last mission on the Galileo with Brylee and Benjamin

Photos from the Extended Camp.  July 23, 2026

Imaginarium Theater

The Week's Best Videos From Around the World, Edited for a Gentler Audience

Another Space Center Great Retires Planetside. What is it With These High Paying Jobs? Isn't Working for Starfleet for Low Wages Satisfying Enough?! The Space Place Ends its Summer Camp Season. Time to Prep for the School Year. Imaginarium Theater.

 

Ellie Clark Retires from Starfleet and Returns Planetside

These things happen, life calls, and one of the Space Center's Greatest retires from the Space Service to return planetside to take a position at a local company as a programmer.  

Ellie started as a young volunteer in June 2019. COVID hit just as she was getting off to a great start, which robbed her of one year in the fleet.  But she was right back at it once restrictions were lifted and the scourge had subsided.  

Ellie with the other past and present Cassini Flight Directors

  

Ellie trained under Jon Parker and quickly became a Cassini Supervisor, then a flight director.  She expanded her interests and also became a Phoenix Flight Director.  

I had the privilege of working with Ellie during my brief time as a Cassini FD. She made working on the Cassini a joy with her sense of humor and a contagious positive attitude toward the Space Center, its mission, and all our patrons.  

Good luck Ellie. You will be missed by those you leave behind........

The Space Place's Summer Camp Season Ends

The Space Place Director, Bracken Funk, is off on vacation for two weeks, a well-deserved vacation, I might add, so the Center finished its summer camp season last week.  

When Bracken returns, he will meet with Megan Warner and me to start preparations for this school year's Voyager Club at Renaissance Academy.  Our students will be placed into squadrons of 10 and power through the galaxy on an 8-month-long mission aboard the Starship Voyager.  It will be a fantastic year. 

Lindsey is teaching the basics of Away Mission Set Up to Shayan and Tony

Sam is getting into costume to play the villain of the mission

Megan's Away Mission device is hidden away in one of the school's math classrooms

Megan is briefing the volunteers about the mission, outlining acting parts, and giving assignments

Bracken saying, "I Can't Believe They Just Did That!"  Yes, sometimes our younger crews can really throw the mission sideways!

 

Imaginarium Theater

The Week's Best Videos From Around the World. Edited for a Gentler Audience.

Here Be Dragons, A New Junior Space Camp Mission at The Space Place at Renaissance Academy. Brady Blumn from Dumb and Dumber and Winnie the Pooh Visit the Space Center. Check Out the Space Center's Newest Camp for Kids, "Astrozoology". Some Cool Things Coming to the Space Center's Planetarium. See the Starship Simulator in London! Imaginarium Theater

The Starship Voyager's Control Room. Bracken Funk at the Flight Director Station. Megan Warner at 2nd Chair

This blog likes to keep the Space EdVenturing community up to date on developments at the local space centers in Utah County:  Christa McAuliffe Space Center, American Heritage Discovery Space Center, The Space Place, The Lions Gate Space Center at Lakeview Academy, and the Telos Discovery Space Center in Orem.  One of the things I like to announce is new missions debuting in the simulators.  

Here Be Dragons is the name of the new Junior Space Camp mission at The Space Place at Renaissance Academy in Lehi.  The mission was told for the first time last week and went very well.  Junior camps at The Space Place are for students going into 3rd through 4th grade. 

Here Be Dragons Staff and Volunteers.  Megan, 2nd Chair. Henry is supervising, and Kai, Miles, Kaia, and Tony are volunteering

Junior camps start at 3:00 PM and end at 8:30 PM.  It is one long adventure with supper included.

Megan in her character's makeup

The First Junior Crew to do Here Be Dragons

Here Be Dragons is big on problem-solving and puzzle-solving. The Juniors get to meet interesting and not-too-scary space aliens and operate the largest space ship simulator in the Utah County fleet of starship simulators.  

The Space Place has one week left of its summer space camp season.  To learn more about the camp, the center, and private group bookings for all ages, visit TheSpacePlace.org.  

Christopher Robin from Winnie the Pooh and Billy in 4C from the Movie Dumb and Dumber Visit the Space Center

I was working in the Space Center's Staff Room on Saturday when Jade Hansen, one of our supervisors and a longtime friend and supporter of the Space Center, walked in and told me that his cousin, Brady Bluhm, was in the Cassini Control Room.  

Jade introduced me to Brady, who was there with a group, and he kindly consented to a photo with the Cassini's "dead bird" mascot in his Dumb and Dumber pose.  He a great guy! He also had very kind words to say about the Space Center.  

Brady Bluhm at the Space Center on Saturday and in the 1994 movie "Dumb and Dumber"

Here is a little more on Brady Bluhm.

Billy in 4C, also known as William, is a blind neighbor of protagonists Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne in the 1994 film Dumb and Dumber. He is famously tricked by Lloyd into buying Harry's decapitated parakeet, Petey, which Lloyd had taped back together, leading to the iconic scene where Billy gently strokes the bird and asks it to say "pretty bird."

The character was played by child actor Brady Bluhm, who also voiced Christopher Robin in several Winnie the Pooh productions. Nearly 20 years later, the Farrelly Brothers tracked Bluhm down via Facebook to cast him as the grown-up Billy in the 2014 sequel, Dumb and Dumber To, where he appears with a talking cockatoo

News from the Christa McAuliffe Space Center

From the Center's Facebook Page 

25% off our new Astro Zoology camp for ages 6-7 starting next week. Use the code "ASTRO" at checkout to sign up your child for a puzzle-filled experience helping with a space-creature mix-up. spacecenter.as.me/camps

We know you've been looking up at the sky on these warm summer evenings. Come learn more about what's out there at our planetarium.
spacecenterutah.org/planetarium

Bridge Command.  

London's Starship Simulator.  Pretty Cool

Did you know there is a starship simulator in London and Birmingham, in Great Britain?  Their programs are very similar to the simulations offered at Utah's space centers.  If any one of our space center fans out there is heading to London anytime soon, please check them out and let me know what you think.   

They have excellent reviews.  Read on

Ever wanted to fly your own starship?

Step aboard this immersive spaceship adventure that is “quite simply the nearest you will ever get to being in space” (★★★★★ London Theatre1).

This intergalactic expedition combines the best of theatre, cutting-edge gaming technology, escape rooms and features live actors to bring to life “a sci-fi fan’s dream come true!” (★★★★★ Clonestar Pod) without the need for VR or wearable tech.

Don the uniform, and join the crew for an adventure featuring unexpected discoveries, high-stakes negotiations, and chilling mysteries. Your choices steer the mission and every decision shapes a story that’s uniquely yours, offering a “meaningful sense of agency” (Time Out).

Bridge Command offers five distinct mission types — Frontline, Military, Exploration, Intrigue, and Diplomacy and up to 14 unique crew roles across Science, Engineering, Operations, and Command teams (link each to their section on the page). With multiple scenarios for each mission type, each visit offers a new episode and no two experiences are ever the same.

Don’t miss the chance to ‘star in a space odyssey of your own making’ (★★★★ The Stage)

Here are a few videos of their program in action. 

Imaginarium Theater

The Week's Best Videos From Around the World, Edited for a Gentler Audience

Telos Discovery Space Center in Orem / Vineyard Opens a New Starship. Starship Simulations and Simulators is Catching On - Mobile Space Adventures in Texas with On the Spot, Real Time, Data Analysis. Imaginarium Theater

The AAV Atlas

From Nathan King's Facebook Post

It has been a moment since we last posted, but that is because we have been hard at work getting our new simulator, the AAV Atlas, up and running for groups to book! The Atlas will take 4-9 people and runs 2.5- and 4.5-hour missions. To celebrate the opening of this new ship we are offering the code: SUMMERFUN for 10% off a booking on any appointment type! You can use this code at: https://www.discoveryspacecenter.com/group-missions
We look forward to flying with you!

Nathan.

Congratulations, Telos, on the Atlas!  I'm assuming this is the 2nd ship at Telos: the Hyperion, and now the Atlas?  If so, I'm guessing it is located in the room right next to the Hyperion, the old Hyperion Briefing Room.  

Starship Simulations and Simulators is Catching On - Mobile Space Adventures in Texas with On the Spot, Real Time, Data Analysis.  

We bring a full starship bridge simulator right to your school or business — and hand your crew command of a high-stakes mission. Our system observes how the crew communicates, decides, and works together — and turns it into a report you can actually use.

What we value:
Learning — every game can be a lesson.
Leadership — everyone gets a chance to lead.
Evidence — not a survey.
Privacy — everything runs locally, anonymized.
We're the measurement layer leadership has been missing.
Follow along — more missions are launching soon.

WHAT ONE MISSION REVEALS
A starship bridge simulator arrives at your school. Six students walk in. They take crew positions: Captain, Helm, Science, Engineering, Communications, and Operations.For 30 to 90 minutes, they run a mission while the Mission Analysis System listens to every command, every hesitation, every moment one student steps up or another goes quiet.The next day, you get a crew performance report."Marcus made decisions 40% faster than his peers under pressure, but rarely asked for input before acting. He leads, but he does not listen."That is not a guess. That is behavioral data aligned to NASA teamwork competencies and Leader in Me frameworks. Now you know what to work on with Marcus.

They don't have the physical simulator yet. The mission comes in cases and set up in a room

HOW IT WORKS
Three days. No buses. Data on every measured student.

We Come to Your Campus

A trailer arrives the day before. Setup takes 45 minutes the morning of. No buses, no field trip permission slips, no lost instructional days. We work around STAAR windows, bell schedules, and campus events.

Students Run Real Missions: 

Six per crew. 30 to 90-minute mission with a structured pre-brief. Each station has a defined role. The scenario adapts to crew decisions. The Mission Analysis System transcribes every voice exchange and tags behavior in real time against NASA, TEKS, and Leader in Me frameworks.

Reports Within 24 Hours: 

Individual student competency profiles. Class-wide patterns for teachers. Aggregate cohort data for principals. Standards-aligned documentation for grant reporting and CCMR submissions. Plain language. No jargon grids.

An Example Teacher Report PDF

Two Reports, Within 24 Hours: 

Teacher Cohort Report (For Classroom Teachers)
Six behavior metrics, a full crew leaderboard, and all 20 TEKS standards scored by evidence level — the map for classroom follow-on. Class-wide performance patterns and individual breakdowns, built for instructional planning meetings and Texas TIA portfolio documentation.Principal's Brief (For Administrators and Boards)
Four headline numbers, TEKS coverage by subject, and named coaching targets — the case for funding justification and board reporting. Sole source justification language available for Title IV Part A and Perkins V procurement.FERPA and COPPA compliant. All data processing occurs locally on equipment inside the school building. No student data leaves your campus.

PRICING: 

$ 3,000 per day. Approximately 100 students across 4 to 5 missions. Individual crew reports delivered within 24 hours.$15,000 per week. Approximately 500 students with multi-day campus residency. Full school coverage with longitudinal data.District Partnership Custom pricing for 4 or more deployments per year. Dedicated account management and curriculum integration support.

Here is the link to their website.  There is a good video on the website that explains their AI and how it tracks all the crew's moves and decisions, calling them out during the mission with live data tracking. 

Imaginarium Theater

The Week's Best Videos From Around the World, Edited for a Gentler Audience 

The Passing of Steve Wall, a Long-Time Space Center Friend and Co-Designer and Builder of the First Odyssey Simulator. Be One of the First to Try Out a New Set of Starship Controls! A Summary of the June Voyager Club Meeting - An All Time Record Attendance! The Imaginarium Theater

From Facebook, by Marla Trowbridge

Steve Wall, also known as Mr. Wall or Wally, passed away on June 21st, 2026.
Steve was a science and physics teacher for many years, 1993-2016, in the Cache County School District (Official), teaching at both North and South Cache schools.
He also ran a local space simulator with his brother Dave and worked with the Christa McAuliffe Space Center in Pleasant Grove, Utah.
He was a creative and engaging teacher. More than that, he was an incredible friend who truly cared about those people whom he knew and his students.
There will be a memorial service in July, and I will let people know when that is.

                                               ____________________________________________  

Steve and his brother Dave were two of those remarkable people who magically walked through the Space Center's doors just when the need was greatest.

The year was 1991. The Space Center was bursting at the seams with eager students, and the USS Voyager alone simply wasn't enough to handle the demand. I needed another starship. While I managed to raise $25,000 for the project, I desperately lacked the specialized expertise required to design and build it.

That is when Steve and Dave walked in and completely took on the project. Everyone who ever flew on that first great Odyssey simulator owes a massive debt of gratitude to both of them.

But Steve's contributions didn't stop with construction. For several summers, he and his mighty team of Star Trek fans would travel down from Logan for our five-day overnight camps, playing multiple acting roles in full costume. They brought the simulations to life, making those years truly legendary ones for the Space Center.

To Steve:

Thank you for your kindness, dedication, and lifelong devotion to both science and science fiction. Thank you for being one of those rare, insightful educators who understood that the two are deeply intertwined.  Most of all, thank you for believing in the Space Center's mission to create a spacefaring civilization—one student at a time.  You will be missed, Admiral Wall. 

Victor

Gary Gardiner Released the Beta Version of a New Simulator Control System Called Infinity Command.  Your Feedback is Requested!  

Gary Gardiner, along with his wife and associates, is the creator of Dream Flight Adventures. They have several starship simulators in the eastern half of the country and overseas (Pennsylvania, Michigan, Washington DC, and Venezuela).  Gary's controls are also extensively used at the Lions Gate Space Center at Lakeview Academy located in Saratoga Springs. 

Gary was one of those dedicated space campers who attended our summer camps at the Space Center for many years.  He grew up, married, had a family, and created a space simulator company.  Pretty impressive, right?!

Gary has a new set of controls in the testing phase called Infinity Command. He would like input from our Space EdVenturing community. He sent me the following email last week to introduce the system.    

Hi Victor,

I hope all is well in your neck of the woods. I wanted to share some news that you and fans of The Troubadour might find interesting.  Over the past several months, I've been working on a new starship simulator platform called Infinity Command.  Here's a quick 60-second video that shows it in action.

Infinity Command builds upon the Dream Flight Adventures software.  It's got the same easy-to-use interface, with better graphics, more flexibility, and it's completely free!

The Dream Flight Adventures controls are still in use in our simulator locations, so Infinity Command is more like a spin-off — and a way to give back to the Space EdVenturing community.

I just launched our public beta, and I'm hoping to get the word out so folks can start using it and seeing how it can be most useful for them.  There are lots of different simulator controls out there, so my hope with Infinity Command is to find a good way to enhance everyone's simulator experience by working alongside other tools like Thorium, etc.

Please feel free to share this around, and let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks so much

OK Space Center staff and volunteers, let's take Infinity Command out for a spin and tell me what you think.  I'll pass along your comments to Gary.  Let's help him spread the word and slowly, yet surely, Create a Space-Faring Civilization, One Student at a Time!

Mr. W. 

The Space Center's Voyager Club Holds Its June Meeting and Sets an All-Time Attendance Record

June's Voyager Club. Nearly 40 attended!

Nearly 40 people squeezed into a backup classroom yesterday, June 27, for the Space Center's June Voyager Club meeting. Our usual spot in the school faculty room was being cleaned, but the tight quarters only added to the high energy in the room!

Alex, the club's vice president, and Tyler Weight (head of the Acting Department) called a lively game of Bingo to get things off to a fun start. What better way to start an early Saturday morning than with a game of pure chance that also tested our volunteers' knowledge of numbers?

Meeting Highlights & Recognition

Alex Anderson, the club's vice president, called the meeting to order and kicked things off by asking all new Voyager Club members to come to the front. A shockwave swept through the room when a massive group stood up—these new members come from all over Utah Valley! As the head of the Space Center's volunteering force, I've been busy onboarding these outstanding individuals over the last month. They bring incredible fresh energy to our simulators, and we are lucky to have them.

The Newest Members of the Voyager Club's Volunteering Force

Next, Alex invited our "first-years" to stand. Four volunteers just reached their official one-year mark, and they were awarded their first-year-of-service pin.

Club Members Receiving their First Year of Service Lanyard Pin

Kai, Andrew, Rory, and Asher

A two-year pin was presented to Alex himself.  You can see his lanyard is getting pretty full of awards and recognitions.  

Congratulations to Alex for receiving the Two-Year Service pin. 

 

Finally, the three-year pin was awarded to Frank and Jacob.  

Congratulations to Frank and Jacob, who received the 3-Year Service Pin. 

Specialized Workshops

Following the opening activities, the group split into two focused workshops:

• Acting 101: Tyler Weight met with the new members to cover the basics of volunteering. His course dives into characterizations, impromptu acting, costuming, costume care, and away missions.

Tyler Weight Teaching the Acting 101 Class to the Center's Newest Volunteers

Tyler's Walking Tour of the School and Space Center

• Simulator Control Design: Alex Anderson took the veteran volunteers for a deep dive into the philosophy and practice of designing effective simulator controls. As the expert who programmed several iterations of the Space Center's software—including Thorium, which runs 14 starship simulators in Utah Valley—Alex compared past and present starship controls with Thorium Nova, the next-generation software currently under development.

Alex Anderson and the Simulator Controls Presentation

Both Alex and Tyler are dedicated, long-time Space Center volunteers, and I am incredibly grateful for their support on our education team.

Prizes and Looking Ahead

As always, we wrapped up the Voyager Club meeting with our monthly raffle, giving away several hundred dollars in prizes. Thanks to Amazon, everyone walked away with at least one prize: a "Home of the Free Because of the Brave" notebook and pen.

With our country's landmark 250th birthday coming up next month, these notebooks are a perfect way for our club to recognize our nation and honor the price our brave veterans paid for our freedoms.

See you all next month for July's Voyager Club meeting!

Imaginarium Theater

The Week's Best Videos From Around the World Edited for a Gentler Audience.