Connor Larsen Receives a Master's Degree in Organ (He Has A Doctorate in Space Center Studies Already). Alex Anderson Speaks to the Voyager Club. The Dangers of Fentanyl. The Imaginarium Theater

Connor Larsen. is one of those people who grew up at the Space Center.  He started as a young volunteer and because of his talent, stubbornness, dedication, and work ethic he found himself moving quickly up the ranks from Voyager volunteer, to supervisor, to flight director, to set director, and recently received a new job - a mentor trainer working with the next generation of Space Center staff.  He does all of this in addition to teaching organ at BYU and completing a master's degree.  

Connor is more than all that; he is a great friend to everyone, from the new Voyager Club Explorer to an old, rusty, out-of-pasture Space Center relic like me.  For example, he attends every Voyager Club meeting to show his support for our volunteers and occasionally shouts out "Amen!" to back up my comments and then expounds to make what I just said better.  His many years at the Space Center make him a go-to person for anyone who needs help with a mission or how to handle a tough crew situation.  He has a shoulder many have used to cry on and an ear that has heard everything.  

I want to take a moment here on The Troubadour to give Connor a massive "SHOUT OUT" and congratulate him on earning a Master's degree in Organ at BYU last week.  He is a talented guy, and to prove it, listen to the following video of him dominating the massive organ at BYU. 

CONGRATULATIONS CONNOR!  Thank you for everything you've done, what you do, and for the great things to come.    

 

Alex Anderson Introduces the Space Center's Voyager Club to Starship Bridge Simulators

      Alex Anderson, creator of Thorim - the software used by many of the starship simulators in Utah County, spoke to the Space Center's Voyager Club on Saturday about bridge controls and the role of flight directors and how that role may be changing with the emergence of new software and A.I.  

We hoped to use the school's computer lab to demonstrate spaceship control software, but the district filter wasn't cooperating. Thankfully, Connor Larsen and Matt Ricks were on hand and successfully helped Alex get the software to run on Magellan's computers.  

The Voyagers experimented with Alex's Thorium Nova, and as you can see in the photos above, crashed the Magellan a few times.  Alex, as usual, did a fantastic job. I want to thank him for being a Voyager Club faculty member and his willingness to drive to Pleasant Grove early on a Saturday morning to meet with our great Voyager cadets.  

The Dangers of Taking Drugs

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that significantly increases the risk of overdose, often leading to death. It is commonly mixed with other drugs, making it difficult for users to know they are consuming it, which can result in accidental poisoning.

Synthetic opioids like fentanyl contribute to nearly 70% of overdose deaths. Even in small doses, it can be deadly. Over the last few years, nonfatal and fatal overdoses involving fentanyl have continued to rise.

Drugs may contain deadly levels of fentanyl, and you wouldn't be able to see it, taste it, or smell it. It is nearly impossible to tell if drugs have been mixed with fentanyl unless you test your drugs with fentanyl test strips.

I saw this on Facebook and wanted to share this family's traumatic experience with a Fentanyl overdose, which nearly took the life of their son.  Space Center staff and volunteers, be aware and stay away from drugs. You may think drugs haven't affected our staff or volunteers, but that isn't the case.  Drugs have found their way into every organization, every school, and every church.  

Imaginarium Theater

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

Sometimes You Need to Relearn How to See the Forest in the Trees; A Lesson for all Space Center Staff and Volunteers. Remembering the Voyager, the Finest Ship in the Fleet. Imaginarium Theater.

     One of the most satisfying benefits I had as the director of the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center for 23 years was seating field trip students on the Voyager bridge.  I heard all their comments as they ascended the spiral staircase and saw the bridge for the first time. I wish I had kept a record of everything I heard. So many comments brought a smile to my face, and I'd make a point to write what I heard down, only to forget a few minutes later. 

     Out of everything I heard over the years, one sixth grader's comment found a resting place in the chaos of my thoughts. I want to share it with you.
     "Oh my Gosh...... Oh my Gosh," he exclaimed as he slowly came up the stairs. His head turned from side to side, taking in every aspect of the bridge. I was concerned that he would trip on the steps. He wasn't looking where his feet were going. The eye candy of the set was too much for his 11-year-old nervous system.

     "Oh my Gosh....... Oh my Gosh," he exclaimed as he stumbled right past me into the center of the bridge. I had my hand out to take his boarding pass, but he didn't notice. Who was I anyway - some person?
     "Oh my Gosh...... Oh my Gosh," he exclaimed as he centered himself under the 1/2 sphere on the ceiling and turned slowly, his arms semi-outstretched, resembling a pilgrim before the statue of his revered saint. I walked in front of him and asked for his boarding pass. He looked at me with a puzzled look on his face.
     "Your boarding pass," I asked.

     "Oh my Gosh....... Oh my Gosh," he exclaimed as he held it in the general direction of my hand. I took it from him. I looked at it. Written under his name was his position, right-wing power. I took him by the shoulders and pointed him in the right direction.
     "You are in the last chair of this row," I said gently while pushing him toward the right wing, knowing he needed the extra energy to get his legs to move. He got halfway to his chair and stopped. He turned toward me and spoke with a religious fever rarely heard even in a testimony meeting.

     "I want you to know that this is what I've dreamed about my whole life! I've finally made it! I'm on a Starship! OH MY GOSH!"
     Although reactions to the Space Center are rarely that emotional, 99% of first-timers ascending the spiral stairs were very excited and a bit overwhelmed by what they saw. Can you believe that of all places on Earth, in the middle of Pleasant Grove, not Las Vegas, not Orlando, not New York City, London, or Los Angeles, there were six starships ready to take children on edventures in the universe of wonder.
     Sometimes the magic of our Space EdVenture centers wears thin for those of us who see it daily. I find myself looking for and seeing the imperfections. I am on a quest to improve my contributions to the Space Center and Renaissance Academy. At times, I become disillusioned when the obstacles of money and talent act as mountainous speed bumps on the road. At those times, I reflect on my memory of students coming up the spiral stairs for the first time. I shake my head to clear my thoughts and then, once again, as in the beginning, I see the forest despite the trees.

Mr. Williamson

Remembering the USS Voyager.  The Finest Ship of the Fleet. 

     The USS Voyager was my first ship, built in 1990.  For four years, it was The Space Center. There was no Odyssey, Magellan, Galileo, or Phoenix. The Voyager was built by the Alpine School District Maintenance Department and Phillipoon Construction during the winter, spring, and summer of 1990 and opened for business on November 8th of that same year. I raised most of the money to build the Voyager from grants and donations.  The Alpine District stepped in when money ran tight and helped with the construction, electrical installation, and the metal work (bannisters, spiral staircase, and bunk beds).  The Voyager was a partnership among schools, communities, and businesses. It was a simulator loved by hundreds of thousands of people.
     As the years have passed and new starships have been built, the USS Voyager will always be remembered as the first of its kind, the mothership, the heart of this movement
   Back in the day, when I was the Space Center director, there were times at night, after everyone had gone home, when I'd sit in the Voyager's captain's chair and enjoy one-on-one imagination recharging time with MY ship.  I'd remember all the stories told in the past and think of new mission ideas for the future. I'd listen to the engine soundtrack, look at the screens, and marvel at what all of us accomplished as a team of dedicated space enthusiasts. We lit fires in the imaginations of thousands of Utah schoolchildren; we motivated them to dream big and know that the impossible can be achieved with imagination, education, and hard work.

Enjoy This Short Video From Our Friends at Mission.io: Introducing Teachers to Simulations Missions

Imaginiarum Theater

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

It is Good to See Old Friends Again. A Few Things Found in a School History bind

Two Space Center Legends Visit the Space Centers

Christine Smith Visits the Space Center

Christine with Brylee

The rumor of a Space Center legend visiting the Space Center on Saturday reached me before my own encounter with the great Christine!  Christine came into the Staff Room. I knew it was her before I saw her because her voice was unforgettable.  After all, I spent countless numbers of hours hearing her fly the Odyssey from my desk in the Briefing Room back in the day.  

Christine as the Odyssey Set Director

It was awesome to reminisce about the old days with Christine. And for Christine, she was able to say hello to several friends who are still working at the Space Center and were privileged to get to work with her all those years ago in the old Space Center.  Christine teaches kindergarten at John Hancock Charter School at Eagle Mountain.  The old trailer ship "Valient" is parked at John Hancock.  I talked to Christine about possibly retrofitting the Valient and relaunching.  We shall see..... we shall see.  

Emily Paxman Visits the Voyager at The Space Place.

   

Emily, back in the day

Emily was the second "Old Timer" to visit a space center this week.  I walked in the Voyager's Control Room on Thursday and found Emily talking to Megan Warner.  The last time I saw Emily was 4 years ago.  Emily was another Flight Director Legend in the old Space Center  and was the Odyssey's Set Director.  She wrote the first Flight Director Training Course, many parts of which have been used as reference material in the new staff training program. 

Emily is a successful business consultant in Orem and was reminded of the Reactivation Clause in her Space Center contract during her visit on Thursday.  She just may have enough time in her busy schedule to help us with the Voyager Club. We shall see......

Emily and Christine

  

And, a Few Other Things in Passing.....

Simon's 3D Masterpiece

     Simon is a Space Place at Renaissance Academy Voyager Club member and a volunteer on the Voyager.  Simon walked into my classroom on Friday with this beauty in his hands. He 3D printed it himself at home. Simon's Enterprise is a gift to The Space Place and will be displayed in the Control Room.  You see, we are creating a space-faring civilization one student at a time.

I ordered another Enterprise from Simon for the April Voyager Club meeting's raffle. The one he is printing for me will be silver and white. 

Two Finds from One of Central School's History Binders Covering the Old Space Center Were Recently Discovered.

The Daily Herald's Coverage of the Opening of the First Odyssey

  The newspaper's date is April 23, 1996; however, the Odyssey opened in the fall of 2025 for camps and field trips.  The Official opening was held in April, 1996.  

  The Space Patch collection from the Old Space Center's Briefing Room.

Another photo recently found in one of the school's history binders shows the space patch collection in the Briefing Room. This was the view from my desk.  To the right of the photo was the opening to the Voyager simulator. At the back of the room was the Odyssey, and to the left of my desk sat the Phoenix.  I had three simulators around my desk. There was never a dull moment - NEVER :)

Imaginarium Theater  

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

New Lower Planetarium Ticket Prices at the Space Center. More Information on the New Starships and Space Station Coming to the Lion's Gate Space Center. The Discovery Space Center's Alex DeBirk Becomes a Real Rocket Man.

The Christa McAuliffe Space Center Announces a Reduction in Ticket Prices for Planetarium Shows!

Please watch the following short Reel where the Space Center's director, James Porter, tells you about the new, cheaper ticket prices at the Space Center's Planetarium.  

YES, prices can go down. Thanks to your support, you can afford a planetarium show for the entire family without breaking the bank and going years into debt.    

 

More Information on the New Simulators and Space Station at the Lion's Gate Space Center

I had several questions about the new simulators and space station soon to be built at the Lion's Gate Space Center after last week's post.  I sent the questions to Jonathan and Dan and received the following response...

1.  Where will this next addition to the building be built?

The new simulators will be built onto the Lionsgate room (the big room we held the Voyager’s Club meeting in) with the station sim being on the second floor above it.

2.  Why did you decide on a Starbase for one of the sims?

The original concept was meant to merge the space center formula with that of “kid cities” like JA Biztown. A large group of students working individual jobs to make the station work. One of the big goals for this project is mega-joint missions where all 4 ships and the station are working in tandem, with the station as the one overseeing the whole operation. The new control set will help achieve this, allowing for direct interaction between the simulators as part of the experience. I like to call the system "FleetSim", but truth be told I’m the only one that calls it that.

3.  Let me throw Pegasus out there as a possible name for one of the new ships.  It was the name of my classroom starship simulator from 1983 to 1990 with the poster controls and overhead projector.  From the Pegasus came the first ship of them all, the Voyager.  And from the Voyager sprang all the ships in the valley. 

Pegasus has been added to the list of possible ship names!

4.  Are you envisioning a field trip program for schools?

From Dan: “We want to offer field trips, but that won't be until Q3 2026 at the earliest, and it could take until 2027 to become a reality.”

5.  Will the budget for the new addition provide you with extra money to upgrade the existing Apollo and Artemis simulators?

From Dan - “If any new tech makes it into the new ships, we will want to retrofit Apollo and Artemis to include it, but that won’t come until after the new ships are finished.”

6.  Are you still working on a new set of simulator controls? 

 
From Dan - “I am still working on new controls. In fact, they will be necessary for the shenanigans I want to pull because we have specific requirements for the Space Station.

Also, from the Lion's Gate Space Center, the new mission "Singularity"

Alex DeBirk, Director of the Discovery Space Center at American Heritage School, Launches Starships and Rockets

Alex DeBirk is a multitalented Space Center Director. He is a gifted high school physics teacher, the director of the school's space center with the starships Discovery and Galileo II, an accomplished actor at the Hale Center Theater in Sandy and several LDS films and pageants, AND now he adds rocketeer to his impressive list of accomplishments. When does he have time to sleep?

Alex posted this update on his rocket's maiden voyage. Congratulations on the successful launch of the Commodore!

L1 certification flight of my first high-powered rocket, "Commodore." I made all the parts with the laser cutter or 3D printers in the AHS Creativity Lab, except for the tubes, shock cord, and parachute. The fins and nose are based on the classic Apogee Rocket's "Zephyr" design. Flew on a H123W-8 motor out at Frank Hunt Field at the first UROC flight 2025. The altitude target was 1477 ft; they probably didn't reach it because the ejection charge was a little shy of apogee. But it came down nicely, on the fast side. I may need a larger parachute for launches with heavier payloads. It's a low-g ascent, so I can fly J motors with no problem with this thing. I aim to build my own motor and fly it in this rocket. I need L2 certification for that, though.

The Backstory to Intolerance. A Writing Competition Using A.I to Create Pre and Post Graphic Novels for Space Center Missions.

     The Voyager Club's Writing Department at the Space Center is sponsoring a writing competition. It was announced at the March Voyager Club meeting last Saturday. The purpose of the competition is to find ways to utilize AI to create good stories we can put on a mission website for crews who want to read more about a mission they completed at the Space Center.

     The stories may be entirely or partly written and illustrated by AI.  Why AI?  To be honest, who has time to sit down and write these stories when there are many other things we need to do for the missions we tell (mission stories, mission binders, damage reports, messages, acting scripts, etc)?  Let's use advanced tools to enhance our missions with pre- and post-stories. 

RULES AND GUIDELINES

     1.  The story must be a pre- or post-story that goes with a mission currently being told in one of the simulators.  You chose the mission.

     2.  You determine the story's length (just not too long or our readers with short attention spans will not be interested) 

     3.  The story must be illustrated using AI tools. 

     4.  The story may be entirely or partly written by AI.  

     5.  The story may be an original with no AI involvement. 

     6.  The story must have a disclaimer stating the percentage written by AI and the percentage written (or edited) by you.  These percentages are for my interest only and will not be a factor in determining the winning story. 

     7.  The stories will be judged by the Writing Department's Mission Editors (Myself, Brylee, Silver, Conner, Jon, and Tabitha). 

     8. The deadline is the end of April.

     9.  This competition is open to any Voyager Club member, which includes staff because everyone is a member of the Voyager Club :)

     

PRIZE:  First place $50. Second Place $25

HOW TO ENTER

      Create your mission as a Google Doc.  Send the link to me when finished.  The story's header should have your name, ID / Rank number (from your ID Badge), and the simulator mission your story is paired with.  It also needs the AI disclaimer (see number 6 in the rules and guidelines).

EXAMPLE

      I did a quick example story for Intolerance below. Please use this story as a guideline for your entry.  Surprisingly, even though I used A.I., I had to do quite a bit of editing and rewriting to get the story I wanted. You may find the same.  

Intolerance, The Story of a Pennae Family     

Victor Williamson

Rank / ID Number:  #1108.90VOY

Intolerance

AI Disclaimer:  60% AI.  40% Me. I had to write a lengthy prompt for the AI and then edit it to match the mission in the Cassini.

     The planet Penausta was a world of sleek, towering spires and skybridges stretching between the heavens. A civilization of breathtaking advancement, it was home to two races: the ruling Pennou and their enslaved Pennae. The Pennae had served the Pennou for centuries, bound by law, fear, and technology. But among them, some dreamed of freedom.

     For years, Kalren and his wife, Olynn, had harbored such a dream. Their twelve-year-old son, Rool, had grown up hearing whispers of a life beyond Penausta, beyond servitude. Kalren worked within the Space Force as a trusted technician assigned to strip decommissioned ships of their valuable components. He was given access to parts of the fleet that most Pennae could only imagine. And then, at last, their moment came.

     Once part of the planetary patrol fleet, a small reconnaissance craft was to be dismantled. Kalren was assigned to clear out its systems, but rather than gut the ship, he secretly restored its essential functions. He covertly stocked the craft with provisions for several weeks and recalibrated its navigation systems, including the most modern security systems he could steal from the spaceport's maintenance lockers. Olynn, skilled in information gathering, monitored planetary security patterns and spaceport patrols. She had access to security overrides for many Pennou space systems. She had earned her supervisor's trust over several years. Eager but fearful, Rool studied the ship’s controls under his father’s guidance. Every move had to be meticulous; the penalty for escape was worse than death.

     When the night finally came, the family moved swiftly under the cover of darkness. Security drones hovered above the scrapyards, their searchlights slicing through the gloom. Kalren led Olynn and Rool aboard the vessel, sealing the hatch behind them. His fingers danced across the console, reactivating the ship’s silent engines. The countdown to freedom had begun.

     As they lifted off, alarms blared. The planetary defense network immediately detected the unauthorized launch, dispatching interceptor craft to pursue them. Using the upgraded security hardware and Olynn's stolen codes, they successfully evaded the spaceport's defensive system. Within hours, the news spread across Penausta. Among the Pennae, the escape became a beacon of hope. For the first time in generations, one of their own had broken free.

     The ruling Pennou, however, saw it as a challenge to their control. The authorities vowed swift retribution. A slave hunter was dispatched—an elite tracker named Vaelix, known for his ruthless efficiency. His mission was clear: capture the fugitives and make an example of them.

     For eighteen months, the chase spanned across the void. The family evaded capture by scavenging, hiding among asteroid fields, and taking desperate risks. But Vaelix was relentless. Whenever they thought they had lost him, he would reappear, closing in ever tighter.

     Then came the final confrontation. Their battered ship, running on failing systems, had been forced into a desperate trajectory—straight into a restricted space sector. They found it there: a newly discovered wormhole, swirling like an abyss in the void. But the sector was guarded, and its defense systems were primed to fire on anything unauthorized that entered.

     Vaelix realized the family's intentions and pushed his engines to maximum to over take their escape. Weapons fire streaked through the dark as Vaelix's vessel struck the family’s ship. The hull groaned under the impact. Flames erupted from the rear engines. Kalren knew they couldn’t last. There was only one chance.

     With every ounce of skill he had, he pushed the dying ship toward the wormhole. The defense systems locked onto them as they approached, unleashing a final barrage. Just as they entered the event horizon, another blast struck the ship. Sparks rained down inside the cabin, panels shattered, and then - They were gone.

     Vaelix stopped his ship near the wormhole's entrance, staring at the rippling aftermath of their escape. No trace remained. No sensor reading, no wreckage. Just the quiet hum of the void.

     The family of three had disappeared into the unknown. No one could say whether they had survived the wormhole’s passage or perished within its depths. But to the Pennae on Penausta, their story had already become legend.  Vaelix calculated his next move.

Chapter 2

     The ship shuddered violently as it emerged from the wormhole, spinning uncontrollably before its failing stabilizers barely corrected its trajectory. Rool gasped for breath, heart pounding as he tried to orient himself. His parents lay motionless beside him.

     "Mother? Father?" His voice cracked with fear. He shook them, but they did not stir.  They needed medical help immediately, and he didn't know what to do except to break the family rule on never using the ship's communication system.  He looked around the small ship's bridge. Tears blurred his vision, but the ship's warning alarms pulled him from his grief. The vessel was severely damaged, and a red flashing icon on the control panel indicated an oxygen leak. He struggled to remember what his father had taught him about ship maintenance, but the controls were sluggish, the systems failing. He had to act quickly.

     With trembling hands, he activated the ship's communication system. Static filled the cabin as he attempted to send a distress signal. "This is… this is Rool. I need help. Please. Anyone..."

     As he transmitted, he kept an eye on the ship's sensors, watching for any sign of Vaelix. If the Pennou hunter had followed them through the wormhole, Rool had no chance of escape, not in his ship's current condition.

     Perhaps an hour passed, then, a large ship emerged from the darkness of space. Its silhouette loomed against the backdrop of distant stars as it glided silently toward him. Rool’s breath caught in his throat. It was unlike any Pennou vessel he had seen before. Could he trust this ship with a message for help?

     The communication panel flickered to life. A transmission; the alien ship was calling him. He hesitated, then pressed the receiver. A deep, alien voice filled the cabin, speaking in a language he did not understand.  His fingers hovered over the controls. "I... I don’t understand. Please, help me." The alien voice continued, but the words were unfamiliar. Yet, as the transmission repeated, something changed. The alien ship was using a translation algorithm to adjust its sounds. Vocal patterns emerged that he could understand —some words began to sound familiar.

     The alarms in the cabin screamed louder. Oxygen levels were dropping fast. Rool’s vision blurred, his fingers numb as he tried to respond. The last thing he saw before darkness took him was a second approaching ship, its hull illuminated by distant starlight

Then, silence.

_______________________________________________________________________________

    You see how the story ends just as the Intolerance missions start for a crew visiting the Space Center.   

     GOOD LUCK!  If this goes well, there will be many others as the year progresses.  Let's build an incredible library of stories that fill our fantastic science fiction universe at the Space Center.

Ad Astra!

Mr. Williamson