Down Memory Lane: The Old Rank Advancement Forms and Rank Lanyards. The Acting Department at the Space Center Presents Three Workshops to Prepare for the Tavern Night Social in October. Imaginarium Theater.

 

The Space Center's Original Rank Advancement Form from the 1990's

I'm not sure who sent this to me, but thank you to whoever it was.  This is the Space Center's first Rank Advancement Form, given to everyone who attended a Friday night Overnight Camp.  We did Friday Overnight Camps nearly every weekend year-round.  Back then, we had three starships: Voyager, Odyssey, and Galileo, and 14 rank levels.  You will notice next to each mentioned rank is an F and a C number. F stood for Flight Hours, and C meant Class Hours.  Campers earned class hours for time spent in mission briefings, field trip lessons, and the Space Center's many Boy Scout merit badge classes.  You also earned class hours for coming on a three-day overnight camp in the summers. One of the summer camp rotations was a four-hour class session. 

Campers with their Rank Lanyards outside the Galileo

It was the attendees' responsibility not to lose this form. The Space Center didn't track hours.  Visitors brought their rank form with them whenever they came to a camp, field trip, or class.  They received a new one when they left with their updated hours.  

Campers Earning Class Hours

Ship positions were given out based on a camper's rank.  Campers wore rank lanyards during summer camps to identify their rank and access the special perks we offered: First pick of ship jobs, first pick of sleeping accommodations, sometimes first in line for meals, etc. The ranks were one way we encouraged people to return often. 

The Magellan Crew with Rank Lanyards preparing to receive their uniforms and board the ship

The New and Improved Rank Advancement Form from the 2000's

We switched to this new and improved rank advancement form in the late 1990's and 2000's.  One of our brainiac programming class graduates created a nifty program for me.  All I had to do was pull up the program, type in the visitor's name and their new hours, and PRESTO, out would come these sheets ready to go home with the camper.  You can see that Austin came to the Space Center on March 7, 2003, by the Stardate.  I really like our old Space Center description under the name:  "A Utah Arts, Sciences, Technology Education Initiative".  Perhaps we should bring that back??  

Do any of you old-timers out there still have your old rank advancement form? Send a photo. Better yet, send any photos you may have of your old days at the Space Center.  It would be appreciated.  

Mr. Williamson  

The Space Center's Voyager Club Acting Department and the Upcoming Tavern Night Social for Volunteers and Staff      

Tyler Weight. Department Instructor

The Space Center has an acting department dedicated to improving our volunteers' acting skills and people skills.  Tyler Weight is our instructor.  Tyler is a longtime Space Center volunteer and an all-around fantastic actor.  He has what I call "Room Presence".  

The topic of Saturday's class was "The World of Character Building". 

The class description: "The world of character building revolves not only around what a character does, but also why they do it the way they do, or what is going on “behind the scenes.” Most characters created at the space center go through the same process we will go through to create such a memorable character. The lessons learned here will not only help you with our tavern night, but also help you understand your own characters that you create for yourselves."

Saturday's Group of Budding Thespians

The follow-up workshop will be held on Sept. 26 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM at the Space Center. It is titled "The Art of Costuming.

The class description: 

Costuming helps bring a character to life! However, you wouldn’t expect a doctor or a military commander to dress up like the homeless person down the street. So for this workshop, we will focus on how costuming can influence our crews to make you a memorable character they will long remember. This will also help you as you think about your character for our Tavern night and how they would be dressed. There will be games galore for us to try putting different costume pieces together and getting others to guess what type of character we are.

The final workshop in the series of three will be held on October 10 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM at the Space Center. It is titled "Improv and the Role it Plays in Acting"

The class description: 

Who doesn’t love improving something? Whether it’s the crew throwing you a curveball and you have to react fast to keep yourself in character, or just going with the flow, you find that improv is at the heart of acting at the Space Center. We will go over some acting points and tips, and we will also have plenty of games to put our brains and wits to the test, coming up with and acting out scenes right out of a hat! During our tavern night, you will not know exactly who or what you may come across, so you might have to think right off the top of your head about what to say next!

Tavern Night is the final culmination of the series. It will be held on October 15 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM and will be open to all Space Center volunteers and staff. Participants will socialize in a fictional off-world tavern (think of the cantina in Star Wars) where they can demonstrate all the skills they've learned. It will be a great night full of fun and games.

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Voyager Club August Update: Record Attendance, Robot Internships, and a New Frontier. The Space Center, Always Improving, Always Evolving. The Imaginarium Theater

On Saturday morning, August 29th, the Space Center hosted another monthly gathering of Utah’s best and brightest young space enthusiasts and seasoned volunteers for our August Voyager Club meeting.

The Voyager Club serves as the Space Center's primary outreach program for teens and adults and forms the backbone of our dedicated volunteer force. These monthly gatherings give members a chance to build community while refining their skills. Our education faculty leads lessons on astronomy, cosmology, space history, science fiction, and the art of using immersive simulators to teach science and leadership skills.

Highlights from August's Meeting:

1. Early-Bird Bingo & Record Numbers: We kicked off the morning at 8:00 AM with our signature discount-prize Bingo. The prizes consist of anything I find on sale and special two-for-ones at the local Smith's grocery store (Smith's never lets me down).   The official club business started at 8:30 AM. Following back-to-back attendance records in July and August, we have officially outgrown standard classrooms. Starting next month, all Voyager Club meetings will be held in the Space Center Planetarium.

2. Growing Membership: Club President Eavie W. welcomed our newest members. With August's recruits, the club's official membership has reached 125 volunteers.

New Club Members

4. Service pins were presented after new members' introductions. Five members received their 1-year pin.  One volunteer received his two-year pin.   

One Year Pin Recipients

Two-Year Pin Recipient

3. Improv & Acting Workshops: Tyler Weight, Club Drama Instructor, announced three acting workshops scheduled for September and October, culminating in a special interactive acting event in late October.

4. A New Universe: Mitch Foote, the Space Center’s universe creator and imagineer, outlined how our simulators—specifically The Falcon and The Odyssey—are transitioning into our brand-new original lore as we move beyond our traditional Star Trek setting.

Mitch Presenting

5. AI & Robotics Internship: Spencer B. and his father, Jeremy, introduced Ollie, a custom 3D-printed AI robot designed to interact with visitors similar to the droids in Disney's Star Tours. High school members can now apply for credit-earning internships to help build additional units after school at Pleasant Grove High School.

Spencer and Ollie

6. Cross-Country Collaboration: Mike Donaho, director of Mobile Space Adventures in Austin, Texas, joined us to share how the Space Center inspired his program. We are partnering with Mike to run several Texas-designed simulation missions aboard the ships at American Heritage and Renaissance Academy this October, open to all active volunteers.

Mike Donaho from Mobile Space Adventures

7. Jason Trump, Club Astronomy Instructor and Director of Education at Clark Planetarium, along with guest speaker Dr. Paige Wheatley, delivered a presentation on exoplanet discovery using the newly launched Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope as it travels toward Lagrange Point 2. This telescope, like the Hubble and the James Webb telescopes, will revolutionize our understanding of the universe and our place in it. 

Jason Trump

Dr. Paige Wheatley Exobiologist

8. Hands-on Workshop: Following our meeting raffle, Eavie W. led a hands-on workshop on applying theatrical special-effects makeup for simulator acting. 

Max and the beating he took at the makeup workshop

Get Involved

Whether you are looking to gain hands-on experience in theater, robotics, or STEM education, the Voyager Club offers a unique runway for junior and senior high school students, adults, and community members.

To join or learn more about upcoming meetings, visit
VoyagerClub.org.


Mr. Williamson

The Space Center, a Never-Complete Utah Treasure

Jack is finishing up a few last-minute wire details on Saturday.  You need to hide those dangling wires :)

The Space Center is a project that is never truly completed.  Just like Disneyland, things are always being improved over time.  Over the last month, the Space Center has installed all-new computers in the simulators and an entirely new special-effects lighting system throughout Starbase and the six simulators. 

James Porter, Space Center Director, Megan Warner, and many others, including Alpine District IT techs, have worked to prepare everything for the Center's reopening for the school-year field trip season.

This conversion won't be completed until the start of the new year due to delays in lighting deliveries, but what is installed is remarkable for the increased quality of our simulation programs. The public won't know that work will be ongoing because everything is being done behind the scenes and when the Center is closed.   

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The Highlights of Honors Night, Held at the Space Center on August 27, 2026: Those Honored, Their Awards, and a Video Tribute to Those Recently Retired. Imaginarium Theater.

The Space Center held its biannual Honors Night on Thursday evening, August 27.  Everyone gathered in the planetarium to honor the staff and volunteers for their hard work and dedication to the Space Center's mission and goals. 

This short video highlights the entire evening with all the Honors presented.  Congratulations to the honorees and a tribute to those who have retired from Space Service for planetside duties.  The video includes a tribute to them.  

And a few personal comments to those who were honored at Honor's Night and those who have retired from the Space Service for planetside duties......

I want to give my personal thanks to our dedicated staff and dedicated volunteers.  Your selfless service is the heart of the Space Center. Every hour you spend directing missions, mentoring our volunteers, and bringing simulations to life fulfills our core mission: to inspire curiosity, spark imagination, and foster a lifelong love for learning. Congratulations to everyone who was honored at Honor’s Night — your "Honors" are a true testament to your creativity, leadership, and passion.

To our staff members who recently "retired" from space duty to embark on their next chapters in life: please accept my personal gratitude. As the founder of this center, watching you grow into phenomenal leaders—and sharing in your journey—has been an inspiration to me. Thank you for the energy you poured into our simulators, the legacy of excellence, and, above all, for your lasting friendship. You will always be a part of our Space Center family.

Mr. Williamson

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Doug Pusey, a Former Space Center Educator, Passes Away. The Space Center Community Pays Tribute to a Remarkable Teacher and Friend. A New Robot Feature at the Space Center? Lions Gate Space Center Looking for an Aide. Imaginarium Theater

Doug and James Porter

Doug Pusey recently passed away after a brave, long battle with cancer. A veteran science teacher in the Alpine School District for many years, Doug left a lasting mark on generations of students. Among them was James Porter, who counted Doug as one of his favorite teachers and the key inspiration behind his own path into education.

After Doug retired from the public school system, James brought him to the Space Center to lead the classroom portion of the field trip program. His contribution became crucial during the Space Center’s transition from the old Central School building to its new facility, where Doug helped get the state-of-the-art planetarium up and running while maintaining a full schedule of field trips.

Though Doug left the Space Center a few years ago to pursue other interests, his impact remained. I had the privilege of working with Doug before his departure, and it was immediately clear that teaching was his life’s passion—his students always came first. The Space Center community mourns his loss and pays tribute to an educational pioneer who helped further our mission of inspiring a spacefaring civilization.

Reflecting on his mentor and friend, James shared:

"All of us here at the Space Center will cherish the time we had with Doug. He was one of the big inspirations that got me into teaching, and it was an absolute pleasure to work side by side with one of my favorite teachers. The best part was the opportunity to become a close friend."

A New Robot Host at the Space Center?

Meet Olly (at least, I’m pretty sure that’s his name!). I had the pleasure of meeting him yesterday.

Olly is the brain-child of Spencer—a dedicated Space Center volunteer and Voyager Club member—and his dad, Mr. Blair, a former computer science teacher at Lone Peak High School turned software engineer. While still a work in progress, this little android already shows massive potential as a standout feature for the Space Center.

Olly’s body is entirely 3D printed, with an iPhone serving as his face. Together, the iPhone and a built-in Raspberry Pi make up the brains of this friendly robot, driving multi-directional head and arm movements. He’s been loaded with data from the Space Center's online footprint, enabling him to answer a wide variety of Space Center questions on the spot. The possibilities here are incredible.

Because Olly is an ongoing project, exciting opportunities are opening up for other Space Center volunteers. Mr. Blair plans to open the initiative to high school interns looking to gain hands-on experience for school credit. Once the prototype is fully dialed in, additional units could be built and deployed throughout the facility—from the lobby to the planetarium and Starbase.

Watch out, Disney—the Space Center is building interactive robots of its very own!

     

The Lion's Gate Space Center at Lakeview Academy is Looking for a Space Center Aide 

Interested in applying?  Contact Daniel Kirkpatrick at Lakeview.  

dkirkpatrick@lakeview-academy.com

 

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An Update from the Lions Gate Space Center at Lakeview Academy, Saratoga Springs. Phoebe Bridgers' New Album Debuts at the Space Center's Planetarium and Others Worldwide. Imaginarium Theater

Hello again!

Lion's Gate will be closed for an extended period while we work on updates/repairs for the Apollo & Artemis. (Rewiring, patching the walls, fog machine installation, etc.) If timing works out, we should have everything done before the new ships come online sometime in October. 

So far, everything is on pace, and we're aiming to unveil our new simulators sometime that month. I know the wait has been long, but we think it will be worth the wait! I'll be sure to provide more specific details on any relevant events soon.

Emma Hilmo

Next are some staffing changes. Our Assistant Director, Emma Hilmo, has retired from active duty and returned planetside. She will be greatly missed, but we know she'll do just great wherever she ends up next! On to hirings, we've brought on Nathan King and Casey Voeks to assist Lion's Gate as we move into post-construction! They will be a big help to our efforts going forward.

                                                   Nathan King in his classroom at Lakeview Academy

Nathan wears three hats: he is the director of the Telos Discovery Space Center at Telos Academy in Orem; he is a STEM teacher at Lakeview, running Mission.io missions for the school's students; and he will be assisting the space center with its program.

Casey Voeks

Casey Voeks and family are moving back to Utah Country from Texas to start the school year. His children will be attending Lakeview Academy. Casey is a co-founder of Mission.io and continues to further the company's goal of world educational dominance. He will be working and consulting at Lions Gate. What a great way to get his feet back into the brick-and-mortar simulators with his kids right there at the school. Welcome back, Casey and family!


WE'RE HIRING
We are hiring 2 part-time positions to help with our school flights! Anyone who is interested is invited to apply! The link contains the job description and how to apply for one of the positions.

That's all from us for now at the Lions Gate Space Center!

Fly Safe Out There!
Jonathan Eden
Lions Gate Space Center Staff


Phoebe Bridgers’ Newest Album, Lost Weekend, Will Debut Inside Planetariums Around the Globe. The Space Center's Planetarium is One of the Them

Ahead of its worldwide release on August 14th via Dead Oceans, Phoebe Bridgers’ newest album Lost Weekend will debut in full inside planetariums around the globe.
Each listening session pairs the album with one of two original visual accompaniments: a custom dome show designed by renowned night-sky photographer Babak Tafreshi, or a unique immersive laser show designed by Laser Fantasy.


Both presentations offer their own atmospheric perspective, turning your first listen into a shared sonic and visual experience.
Note: This is not a performance, and Phoebe Bridgers will not be in attendance. Presented in partnership with Spotify.
Tickets are available at https://spacecenter.as.me/planetarium

The Christa McAuliffe Space Center and Lion's Gate Space Center are Closed for Maintance, Repair, and Equipment Replacements.

It is a mess everywhere! A Control Room's Equipment at Lion's Gate

The CMSC in Pleasant Grove reopens on Friday, August 20 for normal operations.
The six starship simulators are being refitted with new computers. New special effect lighting is being installed in the hallways and starships as well.


The Lion's Gate Space Center reopens in October. The Apollo and Artemis simulators are being upgraded and refitted. Two new simulators and a space station are under construction.

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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

     

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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   

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