If that name sounds familiar, it’s because Jason is our very own Voyager Club space sciences instructor! While he spends his early Saturday mornings every other month with us, his "day job" is just as cool: he’s the Director of Education at the Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake City.
From the Space Center to the Big City
Jason’s journey started with a degree in astronomy from BYU. His first professional stop was right here at the Space Center as our Planetarium Director. Eventually, Clark Planetarium made him an offer he couldn't refuse, but Jason never forgot his roots.
Even with a busy career in Salt Lake, he’s stayed 100% committed to our mission of creating a space-faring civilization. As a volunteer instructor, he’s the one who teaches our volunteers the "hows" and "whys" of the universe, from basic space science to the latest mind-blowing discoveries.
The Next Neil deGrasse Tyson?
Listening to Jason on the radio last Friday was an absolute masterclass. He handled every tough question with ease and was a total pro behind the microphone.
Honestly? Neil deGrasse Tyson might want to watch his back. There’s a young upstart from Utah heading for the airwaves, and he’s making space look easier (and cooler) than ever.
Way to go, Jason. Thanks for making space cool to the masses.
Hyrum Sasser Teaching the Art and Science Behind the "Perfect" Away Mission, or Landing Party, or Deck 21, or, or, or (It Depends on What Era of Space Centering You Come From).
At first, it was a bit confusing. We had built these incredible simulators with many of the bells and whistles of a movie set, yet campers kept saying, "We loved the trips outside the ship and into the school!" That feedback changed everything. It’s the reason we now bake Away Missions into every 5-hour mission, and even squeeze them into our shorter flights.
Low-Tech, High Imagination
Over the decades, the "recipe" for an Away Mission hasn't changed much. Our staff and volunteers are masters of transformation. Give them an elementary school hallway, and they’ll turn it into an alien planet, an abandoned ship, or a restricted deck.
How do we do it? It’s a mix of:
Tables draped in black fabric to create narrow, eerie corridors.
Overturned chairs and scattered debris for that "post-battle" look.
Mood lighting and hanging cables to build tension.
Soundscapes and cinematic music to pull it all together.
When you take those simple elements and add a student’s overcharged imagination, you have a recipe for total immersion.
Enter the Master Class: Hyrum’s Workshop
Hyrum, a Flight Director for the Cassini simulator, noticed something recently: the "art and science" of the perfect Away Mission needed to be protected and passed down to the next generation.
Instead of just letting the tradition drift, Hyrum pulled the trigger on a new curriculum. Last Wednesday, he taught the first-ever Master Class in the Art and Science of the Away Mission. Taking over the faculty lounge and the surrounding hallways, Hyrum walked our newest volunteers through everything from the basic necessities to the "secret sauce" add-ons that make a mission legendary.
The Next Generation of Explorers
Hyrum did an incredible job tailoring the workshop to the volunteers' level. It wasn't just a lecture—it was a four-hour deep dive filled with activities and discussions that challenged the team to think like set designers and storytellers.
The volunteers walked away primed, motivated, and ready to make their next landing parties the most immersive ones yet.
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Imaginarium Theater
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