The Space Center Celebrates its 36th Birthday Anniversary! Thoughts from James Porter and Yours Truly. Video Celebrations of the Space Center's History. Do You Recognize Some of These Space Center Old-Timers? Imaginarium Theater

A Birthday Tribute for the Space Center's 35th Birthday

A Birthday Tribute to the Space Center by James Porter, Space Center Director.

A Program Rich in Tradition, History, and Mission.  Staff and Volunteers over the Years Working Together to provide a unique educational experience for Utah.

James wrote the following on the Space Center's Birthday Anniversary  

Today marks 36 years since the Voyager simulator first started taking students on experiences beyond the limitations of a typical classroom. So many individuals have helped us reach this point, so we thank 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 of starship crews exploring our universe through the endless reaches of our imaginations.

We can't imagine 36 years without you. Happy 36th anniversary to the Christa McAuliffe Space Center and her many crews.

James Porter
Space Center Director

36 Years of Reaching for the Stars: Looking Back on Where It All Began

The Bridge of the Voyager. 1990

On November 8, 1990, the Christa McAuliffe Space Center officially opened its doors with a massive open house and dedication ceremony. Hundreds of people gathered, filling the Central Elementary gym and lining up all the way down the hallway just to tour the original Starship Voyager. We were honored to welcome Utah Senator Jake Garn—who flew aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1985—as our keynote speaker.

Today marks 36 years since that unforgettable day. As the founder, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the thousands of staff members and volunteers whose dedication built this institution, and to the hundreds of thousands of participants who have joined us for field trips, space camps, private missions, and classes over the decades. Thank you for your unwavering support.

People often ask me, "How did the Space Center get started?" While many of you Troubadours know the history, the spark goes back to 1983.

A clerical error during my student teaching assignment at BYU unexpectedly landed me in Mr. Mike Thompson’s 6th-grade classroom at Central Elementary in Pleasant Grove. Tasked with teaching a space science unit, I wanted to deliver something truly extraordinary to impress my university professor.

Inspired by Carl Sagan’s 1980 television series Cosmos—which I watched endlessly on a 12-inch black-and-white TV in my college apartment—I decided to take my students on an immersive journey into space. Personal computers weren't available in classrooms back then, so I created hand-drawn controls on posterboards for my students' desks, projected custom visuals using overhead transparencies, and played music on a boombox cassette player. I performed all the sound effects, alien voices, and computer prompts myself. The experiment was a resounding success: my professor gave me an A, Mr. Thompson wrote a glowing recommendation, and when a teaching slot opened up that spring, I was hired full-time.

For the next seven years, those classroom voyages evolved. We eventually expanded beyond my room into the school gym, using poster-board consoles and the whole building to run full-scale starship simulations for our Young Astronaut Chapter. That original classroom setup paved the way for building the Starship Voyager and opening the Space Center in 1990.

Carl Sagan’s vision inspired us from the start: to spark curiosity and encourage people to look up at the universe and see what humanity can achieve. Thirty-six years later, our core mission remains unchanged: we work to inspire and create a space-faring civilization.

Sagan famously wrote, "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." Perhaps that something is our shared potential, woven together into the eternal fabric of time and space.

Thank you for 36 incredible years.

Ad Astra!

Victor Williamson

Founder, Christa McAuliffe Space Center

The original paper helm station for the classroom starship Pegasus.

My 6th Grade Student Teaching Class. Mr. Thompson is on the left. Mr. Emal (principal) is on the right. This was their class picture taken in September 1982. They did the very first simulated missions.

The Classroom Simulator's Audio/Visual System :)

The poster board weapons and engine controls. The wear and tear speaks to the many missions and hours of fun this poster gave my students over those years.

The poster board controls for the USS Pegasus were easy to use. The student said the button's name as they pressed it. From behind my desk, I'd hear the student and make the appropriate sound whilst searching through my stack of overheads for the right visual effect.

These young Starfleet officers from my first year of teaching are in their mid-50s today

Who Do You Recognize from these Old Space Center Videos?

From the Archives

2012

Fun in the Old Space Center.  Who do You Recognize?  A couple in this happy group still work at the Space Center.

We have the end of a summer overnight camp.  The campers are in the gym doing final votes. The staff came in for votes.  Megan led the staff and volunteers in the "end of camp" dance she came up with.  You'll also see Bracken Funk in this photo. Bracken is the Director of The Space Place at Renaissance today.   

2012-13  

     The Space Center has reopened from the maintenance shutdown.  Megan Warner directs the Space Center.  The first Odyssey simulator was just demolished, leaving the Briefing Room empty for the Phoenix to occupy.  The new Odyssey simulator is being designed.  

     The first part of the video shows Megan and volunteers testing the Phoenix and getting it ready to reopen and fly.  Starting at 3:05, I move away from the Phoenix and show the empty Briefing Room and the area where the old Odyssey once stood.

     I walk across the Briefing Room to where my desk used to be.  You'll see a very low doorway. That was the entrance to the Voyager Simulator — The Mother Ship of them all.  Staff and volunteers used this entrance primarily.  Crews entered the Voyager through a revolving door in the school's stage.  

     The Voyager's last mission was a private mission on July 27, 2012. Little did we know that when those lights went out that evening, it would be the ship's last mission after thousands of flights spanning November 1990 to July 2012.  The ship was locked, and only maintenance could enter.  Only on a rare occasion would the door be left open for me to walk through and remember.  

The walk-through recorded in the following video was one of those. They were always sad for me. 

      The video continues with a stroll into the Discovery Room / Magellan.  Both rooms were getting ready for reopening.  Jon Parker and Zac Hirshi are talking in the Discovery Room. You'll see Magellan's Control Room and Magellan itself.        

Imaginarium Theater

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

The Passing of Two in One Week; Walter Koening (Chekov) and Patrick Stewart (Capt. Picard). The Space Center Celebrates a New Cassini FD and a New Magellan Supervisor. Update from the Lionsgate Space Center at Lakeview Academy. Imaginarium Theater

Losing two actors who played beloved Star Trek characters in the same week was sad.  If the Space Center had its own flag and pole, it would be at half-staff to honor two great actors who played two beloved Star Trek characters.   

The Space Center Celebrates a New Cassini FD and a New Magellan Supervisor 

Wes Kinsey is turning into one of those All Around Guys at the Space Center.  He is a Magellan flight director and supervisor, and as of yesterday, he is also Cassini's newest flight director. He flew "Cry from the Dark" as his pass-off mission for an older crew. Megan sat beside him, scrutinizing his performance, looking for the slightest reason to stamp "Rejection" on his goal.  Wes was confident in his talent.  He suggested Megan close her laptop, sit back, relax, and enjoy watching a master storyteller and ship wrangler perform.  In the end, that is what happened, and Wes passed.  Welcome to the Cassini, Wes.    

Kayden Platt was in the extreme hot seat yesterday as he tried to get a Magellan Supervisor Pass from Mr. Porter.  It is one thing to demonstrate competency to Megan, but doing the same for the Space Center director himself takes the stress to a whole new level. 

In the end, Kayden pulled it off.  In the photo above, Tyler congratulates Kayden on his accomplishment and welcomes him as Magellan's newest supervisor.  Welcome back to the Space Center, Kayden, and welcome back into a supervisor position!

An Update from the Lions Gate Space Center at Lakeview Academy. Two New Starships and a Space Center About to Open

By Jonathan Eden
Hello again!

It's been a while since I last updated, and I have some news to share!

The new ships are nearly ready to fly, and we've begun testing out the new lighting and sound systems they come equipped with! We've also been going through Apollo & Artemis, making repairs and updating the control rooms. I'll have plenty of photos to share of the whole process in the future, but for now I wanted to let you and the rest of the community know when you can come see the new ships for yourselves.

Lakeview Academy will host an end-of-construction open house in early December, and Lion's Gate will be there to show off our new ships and preview the new station simulator! Everyone is invited to see the new ships and learn about our plans for the future of the Lion's Gate program! We're so excited to finally share what we've been working on, and we hope to see you all at the open house! Once the open house is over and school flights are in full swing, I'll reach out again with as many construction videos and photos as I can get my hands on.

In addition, I'd like to introduce a new member of the team: Mak! Mak started a bit over a month ago and has picked up the craft quickly! She's worked a number of jobs over the years (Including as an English tutor in Russia and China!), but this is her first time working at a Space Center. She's super enthusiastic, cares deeply about the work she/we do, and has been an amazing addition to the team overall! We look forward to seeing everything she'll accomplish here at Lion's Gate!

Fly safe out there, and see y'all in December
- Jonathan, Lion's Gate Space Center

For those speculating on the names of the new ships :)
New Ship 1: _ E _ _ _ _
New Ship 2: _ E _ _ _ _

Here are a few photos. Much better ones will follow soon.

* Modified pictures of the new ship's name decals in the simulators (They were referred to as Ship 3 and Ship 4 during construction, but I preferred calling them the Mark Twos)

* A picture of the entryway to Ship 4 where the transporters will be (Yes, the new ships will have transporters like Apollo and Artemis! The materials to make those transporters are among the materials delayed.)

* And finally a picture of the stairway leading up to the second floor of the center! (There may or may not be a video somewhere on the internet showing the upstairs section from a few weeks back. Good luck finding it, though :)

* A picture of the dedicated server rack that all 3 new simulators are run out of (It's quite cool what this thing can do, but it has been an absolute PAIN to set up)

Jonathan

Imaginarium Theater

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

See the First Starship Magellan from the Old Space Center. Imaginarium Theater

See the original Starship Magellan in action.  I filed this in 2016.  It marked the end of the Long Duration Mission our Voyager Club squadrons ran that school year.  The Space Center Voyager Club was divided into several squadrons of about 10 cadets in each.  Each squadron came in about once a month to complete another segment of a year-long mission.  We evaluated the squadrons during the missions and awarded points in several categories.  The points determined our Top Squadron positions and the awards given at the end of the school year.  

In this video, you will see the Lion Squadron during their last mission segment.  I hope you enjoy seeing Magellan I. It was a wonderful simulator that hosted thousands of students during its service.  Today's Magellan continues the original Magellan's mission.      

Imaginarium Theater

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

The Space Center's Volunteer Handbook from 2017 (Much of it taken from an Earlier Handbook). See the Old Odyssey in Action: Christine's Last Mission Before Retirement. Imaginarium Theater

Volunteering has been the lifeblood and heart of the Space Center since it first opened its doors in November 1990.  In fact, well over 90% of the Space Center's staff over all those years came from our volunteer corps.  Today, over 80 people ranging in age from 12 to 68 put in many volunteer hours per month to support the Center and its programs. 

The first volunteers were members of my sixth-grade class and former members of Central Elementary School's Young Astronaut Club.  They helped with field trips and the overnight camps.  The program quickly grew as students from schools across the district got involved. 

Photos of the Space Center's Volunteer Manual are included in this post.  This manual was printed in 2017 and distributed to all volunteers.  Much of it came from an earlier version of the manual.  

For those of you readers who are former volunteers, enjoy a quick stroll down memory lane.  For our current volunteers, you'll notice the program hasn't changed much over the last 9 years, except, of course, for the new Space Center building.  

The Space Center's Volunteer Manual, circa 2017 

See the Old Odyssey in Action

Watch a master flight director at work as she concludes her final mission as an employee of the Space Center.  Christine was the Odyssey's Set Director.  In today's video, you'll see her complete her final mission after serving for many years at the Space Center in Space Service.  She is flying a crew in the Odyssey II in the old Space Center building.  

The original Odyssey was torn down in 2013 and replaced with a new Odyssey shortly thereafter.  Even though the simulator bridge was different, the builders used the original Odyssey's Control Room for the new Odyssey.  

Isn't it amazing to see how Christine plays the ship, just like a musician plays a fine instrument.  Her hands dart from the keyboard to the soundboard to the voice synthesizer to video remote controls and lights.  

It is people like Christine who made the Space Center what it is today, and today's flight directors carry on her legacy in their professionalism and talent.     

Imaginarium Theater

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

The Space Center Invites You to the Planetarium to Experience Beams and Screams, Just Right for the Halloween Season. The Space Place Offers FlightMares for Hallween. A Four Hour Mission Aboard the Starship Voyager. Updates from our Friends at Mission.io. Logan Sidwell Recognized as Local Author. Space News. The Imaginarium Theater

How About a Four-Hour Scary Halloween Mission in Utah's Largest Starship Simulator, the USS Voyager at The Space Place 

From our Friends at Mission.io

A Tour of Mission.io's World Headquarters in Provo, Utah. This is where I record the computer's voice for the Mission.io simulations.  Great things are happening in this simple office tucked away in the Provo riverbottoms — an educational revolution!

Meet Ralph, One of the Mission.io Simulations' Characters

Logan Sidwell, A Local Author and Former Space Center Staff Member, Named one of Five Notable Reads in Speculative Fiction for 2026

 

Yesterday, the Utah Book Awards named me one of Utah's five Notable Reads in Speculative Fiction for 2026. I was joined by friends from my writing world, my engineering world, and even a college roommate. Sharing my book with others has been a joy, and the surprise messages from readers have given me all the energy I need to keep going. Here's to hoping I get to have another celebration like this soon! Next time I'll really put up a fight against Brandon Sanderson.


Space News Update
by Mark Daymont

Congrats to NASA and SpaceX on the successful launch and docking of Crew-13 to the International Space Station. Their flight was the fastest ground-to-docking flight to the ISS of an American spacecraft (the Russians still have us beat). Below are ROSCOSMOS cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov, NASA astronauts Luke Delaney and Jessica Watkins (Pilot and Commander), and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut and Mission Specialist Joshua Kutryk. The flight lasted less than 8 hours aboard the spacecraft "Grace."

Imaginarium Theater
The Best Videos of the Week From Around the World, Edited for a Gentler Audience

StormTeam Simulations Space Center Update. It is Flightmares at Renaissance Academy's The Space Place. Come do a New Mission Called "The Void" on the Starship Voyager . The Imaginarium Theater

Hi everyone!

Something exciting is happening with StormTeam Simulations Space Center.

StormTeam creates immersive mission experiences that help participants practice leadership, teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making under pressure. Whether the mission involves exploration, science, operations, or crisis response, the goal is always the same: help people learn by doing.

Many of these skills are the same skills used every day by leaders in education, business, technology, public service, and the space industry.

Recently, StormTeam reached an important milestone. The systems and ideas that began years ago through Space EdVentures have continued to grow and evolve into new omni-domain applications spanning education, simulation, leadership development, technology, and mixed-reality experiences across white-collar, academia, entertainment, and defense sectors.

What began as a passion for immersive missions has expanded into opportunities to explore how simulation-based learning can help people develop real-world leadership and teamwork skills.

The vision that inspired my novel STORMTEAM, and the experiences that began years ago at the original Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center, continue to guide that mission today.

Perhaps most importantly, the goal remains unchanged:

Help people grow.

Help people learn.

Help people discover what they can accomplish together.

To bring out the best in everyone.

Jordan Foutin, From his Days as a Space Center Flight Director

Many of us first experienced that feeling through Space EdVentures. It continues to inspire everything StormTeam is building today.

More updates will follow as the journey continues.

AD ASTRA!
Jordan R. Foutin, MBA, BSc, ELC, ALC, PhD (Cand.)
Founder, Author, CEO | StormTeam Simulations
Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | X

It's the Halloween Season at Renaissance Academy's The Space Place. Flightmare's New Mission, "The Void," Told for the First Time Yesterday

The Space Place at Renaissance Academy ran the first Flightmares for an enthusiastic crew yesterday. The new mission is called "The Void". It was written by me, with the landing party "away missions" written by Megan and Bracken. The Fright Flight ran from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Bracken Funk was the Flight Director, Megan Warner was second chair, and Lindshey Matus was the Voyager's holographic doctor.

The Dream Team on the Starship Voyager. TheSpacePlace.org

Megan and our Voyager Club Volunteers Dream Team for the First Telling of "The Void", The New Flightmares Mission at The Space Place. (Kai, Kaden, Mica, Sam, Simon, Shayan, and Harper)

Flightmares are special scary missions used only during the Halloween season. Flightmare missions are scarier than the Center's regular stories and are designed to haunt and frighten. Fun for all 5th graders and above! Invite friends from anywhere, and enjoy a very scary mission in the Voyager!

The First Flightmares Crew and the First Crew to do the new Mission, "The Void"

This was taken at the Start of the Mission

The After-the-Mission Photo. I guess the mission had its Desired Effect

To book a reservation for yourself or a group of friends, go to TheSpacePlace.org/flightmares.

For questions, feel free to reach out to Bracken at director@thespaceplace.org.

The Imaginarium Theater

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

The Space Center and Pleasant Grove High School Starts the Robotics and Electronics Club. The Space Center's New Halloween Planetarium Laser Show. A Video From our Friends at Mobile Space Adventures in Austin, Texas. Imaginarium Theater

The Space Center Partners with Pleasant Grove High School to Create the Space Center Robotics and Electronics Club

     The Space Center and PG High School are the co-sponsors of this new high school club.  Club members will design, 3D print, and wire new small robots to be deployed at the Space Center.  This course is an excellent way for high school students to learn robotics from experts in the field. 

It is Halloween Time at the Space Center. Get your Tickets Today.

A Post from our Friends in Austin, Texas. 

The Space Center's original method of simulator-based experiential learning spreads!

Imaginarium Theater

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