The January Voyager Club Meeting Learns About the Dangers of Space Travel. The Space Center Honor's Christa McAuliffe. Landon Visits the Space Center. Imaginarium Theater

Jason Trump is talking about the Artemis rocket and the SLS.

The Space Center's Voyager Club met on Saturday for its monthly meeting. The Voyager Club is open to people of almost all ages (from grade 7 to adults). It has a few different membership levels.  

Explorers: Club members who attend meetings, have an interest in space and astronomy, but find themselves too busy to volunteer.

On-Site Volunteers:  Club members who attend meetings, take classes, participate in workshops, and volunteer at the Space Center for a minimum of 4.5 hours a month.

Off-Site Volunteers: Club members who work from home on Space Center projects: electrical, prop building, graphic illustrations, etc.  

Jason is using a Geiger counter to measure the radioactivity of several items.

The Club meets formally on the last Saturday of every month at Space Center. Members receive training and learn more about space and astronomy at the meeting. Yesterday's meeting featured Jason Trump, the Club's astronomy/space studies teacher and Director of Education at Clark Planetarium. Jason gave a presentation on the Artemis II mission, set to launch this month. They also spoke about the dangers astronauts face in space, especially exposure to space radiation, both from our sun and from beyond our solar system in the form of gamma rays. 

Club members were asked to predict which element would show the highest level of radioactivity. 

Uranium dust from a Utah mine took the prize.

Introducing new members is another agenda item for the club meeting. Yesterday, four new members joined the Club and will be seen in the simulators soon.  

New member introductions

Calvin with his latest 3D printed creations

Calvin is one of the Club's new members. He is a high school 3D prop maker with a couple of high-quality 3D printers at home. He creates his own models or purchases them online. He handles the printing and painting. I asked him to bring a collection of his latest creations to show me what he can do from home. The helmets have movable face shields. 

James Porter Speaks About Christa McAuliffe

A Tribute to the Challenger Astronauts and Christa McAuliffe. January 28, 1986

Hello Troops,

January 28 marked the 40th anniversary of the Challenger mission. In each of my math classes, we took a moment to honor the seven heroes who lost their lives that day. I wanted my students to look beyond the tragedy and understand the why—to remember that these men and women were pioneers, blazing a trail into the unknown because they believed in the future.

Among those seven was Christa McAuliffe. As a teacher, she represented all of us who believe that the classroom has no limits.
From Tragedy to Inspiration

I named the Space Center in Christa’s honor. It stands as a living tribute to her love of learning and her mission to inspire America’s children to dream big, work hard, and push past any obstacle.

The Center is proof that great things can rise from the ashes of tragedy. We don't just teach science and math; we carry forward the torch of discovery that Christa held so high. We work to create that space-faring civilization she dreamed of.
A Heartfelt Thank You

To everyone who has worked and volunteered over the last 35 years and to those who currently work and volunteer at the Space Center: thank you. Together, we have kept Christa’s mission alive. I genuinely believe she would be proud of the "future pioneers" we are cultivating here.

Keep reaching for the stars,

Mr. Williamson

(For You Old Timers) Landon Hemlsey was at the Space Center on Saturday 

Landon (in blue)

James Porter and I got to see Landon at the Space Center on Saturday afternoon. Landon was a member of the Space Center's staff for about 5 years around the year 2004. He was an Odyssey flight director back in the day. Landon was there with his son, his son's friends, and his brothers. I spoke to him for a few minutes before Lindsey arrived to escort them to the Odyssey.  

Seeing old staff and volunteers is always the highlight of my Saturdays at the Center when I'm there helping with the volunteer program.   

Imaginarium Theater

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