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The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center is featured on the cover of the new AT&T Real Yellow Pages directory serving the Hutchinson area. The cover was unveiled during a press conference Wed., Dec. 9, at 2 p.m., in the Discovery Room at the Cosmosphere.
"We're thrilled the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center is featured on the new directory cover," said Marisa Honomichl, vice president for marketing and development at the Cosmosphere. "This means that for the next year, this wonderful facility with all it has to offer will be front and center anytime someone uses a directory, reminding residents and visitors about the museum and planetarium."
More than 58,000 copies of the directory have been produced for distribution in the Hutchinson area this year.
"We are proud to feature the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center on the cover of our new AT&T Real Yellow Pages directory for the Hutchinson area," said Patsy Weiser, area market manager, AT&T Advertising Solutions. "We continually work to make our directory covers special on the outside, and tailor the community information inside our directories to best meet the needs of local residents and businesses."
The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center is one of the most comprehensive space museums in the world and one of the leading educational tourist attractions in the United States. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing patrons' knowledge of space exploration.
Educating people from around the globe, the Cosmosphere boasts the Hall of Space museum, one of the most significant collections of U.S. and Russian space artifacts in the world; the Justice Planetarium, a dome-shaped classroom where attendees learn about astronomy; Dr. Goddard's Lab, a live demonstration of early rocket technology; and the Carey IMAX® Dome Theater, the 12th IMAX® theater built in the world.
The Cosmosphere is well known for its camp programs, offering students an opportunity to train like astronauts. Camps for students from second grade on up are offered. The Cosmosphere education programs focus on building leadership skills, encouraging STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education, and creative thinking.
For more information visit www.cosmo.org.
On Saturday, October 24, “the gong lady” from Wichita, deBorah Gray, will offer a gong bath at the Cosmosphere. She uses the gongs in her massage therapy business and travels with them only a couple of times a year. This is the first time a gong bath has been offered in Hutchinson. It will be from 4-6 p.m. Arrive by 3:30 for the gong bath.
She will be bringing a dozen gongs, ranging in size from 36 inches to 22 inches. Each gong is embellished with the glyph of the planet who’s orbital frequency it represents. They are played by being lightly touched with a felt hammer.
The gongs are from Germany, and tuned to planetary frequencies. She will play for more than an hour. You’ll be able to hear – and feel – the vibrations as they build on each other. You’re invited to bring something to lie on, a pillow, and a blanket for warmth, and experience a gong bath.
In some cultures, gongs were an essential part of daily living, and are still used in certain areas. The making of gongs was veiled in secrecy. The Gong Bath is used throughout Europe as a form of meditation to help the mind focus and relax. Come enjoy this unique experience for yourself at the Cosmosphere!
The cost is $25 per person and space is limited. Contact the Cosmosphere at 620-662-2305 to reserve your spot.
Former SR-71 pilot, "Buz" Carpenter, who flew the “Blackbird” in the Cosmosphere’s lobby, spoke to packed crowds on September 5 and 6. He did three public presentations, visiting with people and signing autographs afterwards. He also provided a training for Cosmosphere volunteers.
More than 500 people came to hear his stories about the famous plane. He shared photographs and gave people an insider’s perspective on the “Blackbird.”
Only 32 Blackbirds were ever made, and they were in service from 1964-1998. Despite many attempts to shoot them down, none of the planes were lost due to enemy fire. However, 12 of them were destroyed in accidents. The plane was designed to be one of the first planes not detectable by radar. Unfortunately, radar technology was advancing at a rate that outpaced that particular design feature.
The great defensive ability of the plane was its high speed and altitude. Standard evasive action was just to accelerate, which made it almost invulnerable to the attack technologies of the time. The top speed of the plane was mach 3.3 (2,200 miles/hour or 36 miles/minute). In 1990, during a speed test, an SR-71 flew from LA to Dulles Airport in 64 minutes. They flew faster than a bullet from a standard 30.06 hunting rifle.
The SR-71 was American's first "stealth" plane, and was the last one designed with a slide rule. At cruising speeds, the aircraft skin reached average temperatures of about 600F. This caused the aircraft to grow 3-4 inches in length and 1-2 inches in width. The engine area was 3400F, with the coolest parts of the plane being about 450F. The 2.0 inch thick laminated quartz glass pilot window was 620F.
Pilots wore pressure suits derived from the Gemini designs through the mid 70s. The replacement pressure suit in the late 70s served as the initial Space Shuttle suits for test flights.
The Blackbird generally leveled off around 75,000 feet, and as fuel burned off would climb up around 82-85,000 feet. At 80,000 feet, you can see the curvature of the Earth about 350 miles in all directions.
Carpenter accrued 777 hours flying SR-71 planes. He flew Blackbirds as an aircraft commander and later as an instructor pilot, with over 60 operational missions. He also flew in the C-141, RF-4C, and T-38 planes, flying 150 combat hours in Vietnam. He worked in the Pentagon and served as Wing commander at Ramstein Air Base in German during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
He retired as a Colonel after serving as the 2nd Air Force Vice Commander, responsible for all the USAF Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance flying assets. He is currently a docent for the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, Udvar Hazy Center.
The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center is participating in the fifth annual Smithsonian Museum Day on Saturday, September 26, 2009. Visitors with a Smithsonian pass will be admitted free to the museum that day. The Cosmosphere is the only Smithsonian-affiliated museum in Kansas.
A celebration of culture, learning and the dissemination of knowledge, Museum Day reflects the spirit of Smithsonian magazine, and emulates the free-admission policy of the Smithsonian Institution's Washington, DC-based properties. Doors will be open free of charge to Smithsonian magazine readers
and smithsonian.com visitors at museums and cultural institutions nationwide.
Cosmosphere President and CEO, Chris Orwoll, says, "The Cosmosphere has been proud to work closely with the Smithsonian Institution and its National Air and Space Museum for over two decades now. This year, as we do every year, we look forward to welcoming participants in Museum Day to the Cosmosphere. This is a great event that encourages people all over the country to visit their local museums and appreciate our rich cultural heritage."
Last year, about 200,000 people attended Museum Day, with all 50 states plus Puerto Rico represented by over 900 participating museums, including 84 Smithsonian affiliate museums. This year, the magazine expects to attract over 1,000 museums. Twenty-five museums in Kansas have already agreed to participate.
Visitors can download Museum Day Admission cards at www.smithsonian.com/museumday. Attendees must present the Museum Day Admission Card to gain free entry to participating institutions. Each card provides museum access for two people, and one admission card is permitted per household. Listings and links to participating museums can also be found at the link above.
Founded in 1970 with the launch of Smithsonian magazine, Smithsonian media—comprising Smithsonian magazine, Air & Space, goSmithsonian, Smithsonian Publishing Digital Network, Smithsonian Books and advertising for Smithsonian Channel—allows the intellectually curious to indulge and engage their passions for history, the arts, science, the natural world, culture and travel. Smithsonian Media's flagship publication, Smithsonian magazine, has a circulation of more than two million. This multimedia network is also affiliated with the world's most visited museum and research complexes at the Smithsonian Institution. For more information, visit www.smithsonian.com, and www.gosmithsonian.com.
The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing patrons' knowledge of space exploration. Educating people from around the globe, the Cosmosphere boasts the Hall of Space museum, one of the most significant collections of U.S. and Russian space artifacts in the world; the Justice Planetarium, a dome-shaped classroom where attendees learn about astronomy; Dr. Goddard's Lab, a live demonstration of early rocket technology; the Carey IMAX® Dome Theater, the 12th IMAX® theater built in the world; and summer astronaut training camps. For more information visit www.cosmo.org.
"Forces of Nature" is playing in the Cosmosphere's Carey IMAX® Dome Theater. The movie, which brings the power of earthquakes, volcanoes and tornadoes to the giant screen, took ten years to film. It is showing every day at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., with additional showings at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Also showing in the Carey IMAX® Dome Theater is "Greece: Secrets of the Past."
"Forces of Nature" is narrated by Kevin Bacon, and captures the volatility of natural disasters on Earth, while showcasing three scientists who study them. Their hope is to understand the origins and behaviors of these events to improve our odds of surviving them.
Director George Casey said, "Mother Nature is the most temperamental screen diva a director can work with, and our team was at her mercy. Getting a tornado on film – let alone on 70 mm film – is nearly impossible. It's sort of the 'holy grail' of large-format filmmaking. In the end we got several twisters on camera, as well as spectacular eruptions of the volcano on Montserrat Island. Being in the right place at the right time was critical, and it is also why a project like this was more than ten years in the making. You simply can't turn to a storm and yell, 'And… action!' and get the shot you want."
Some of these natural phenomena are more common than we like to think, and more destructive than we realize. For example, there are nearly a half-million earthquakes each year, and only four states – Florida, Iowa, North Dakota and Wisconsin – had no detectable earthquakes between 1975 and 1995. Alaska is the most seismically active state overall. The largest quake in recorded history shook Chile in 1960 with a magnitude of 9.5 on the Richter scale.
The most destructive tornado on record was in 1925. It went through three U.S. states, destroying four towns and taking 695 lives. The Hallam, Neb., tornado of May 22, 2004 peaked at a width of 2 ½ miles, making it the widest ever recorded. Despite better storm warnings, tornadoes still kill an average of 60 people a year in the United States.
Alaska was the site of the largest volcanic eruption in modern times. In June of 1912, at Novarupta, 3.6 cubic miles of magma exploded from the earth – 30 times the molten material that erupted from Mount St. Helens in 1980.
"Forces of Nature" and "Greece: Secrets of the Past" are both showing each day at the Cosmosphere. Call 800-397-0330 for show times or check www.cosmo.org.
The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing patrons' knowledge of space exploration. Educating people from around the globe, the Cosmosphere boasts the Hall of Space museum, one of the most significant collections of U.S. and Russian space artifacts in the world; the Justice Planetarium, a dome-shaped classroom where attendees learn about astronomy; Dr. Goddard's Lab, a live demonstration of early rocket technology; the Carey IMAX® Dome Theater, the 12th IMAX® theater built in the world; and summer astronaut training camps. For more information visit www.cosmo.org.
Three of the astronauts from the Shuttle Discovery's maiden voyage were at the Cosmosphere on Saturday, Aug. 22, to commemorate its 25 year anniversary.
Charlie Walker, Hank Hartsfield and Steve Hawley spoke to a large group about the mission and the craft. They shared stories of what was happening behind the scenes too, including how the mission patch was designed.
After the speech they signed autographs and met the public before attending a private reception for premium members only.
Hank Hartsfield meets members.
Steve Hawley shares a laugh with Cosmosphere members.
Charlie Walker (right) visits with Cosmosphere CEO Chris Orwoll and family.
The Cosmosphere is premiering a new IMAX film on August 14. "Greece: Secrets of the Past" is a sweeping journey back in time to discover the buried secrets of one of the world's most enlightened societies – Ancient Greece. For 100 years, from 500 BC to 400 BC, Greece was the center of human thought and creativity, and laid the foundations for the way we live today.
"Greece: Secrets of the Past" will show at 1 and 3 p.m. every day, with a morning showing at 11 Monday through Saturday and later showings at 5 and 7 on Friday and Saturday nights. The film's narrator is Greek-American Nia Vardalos, writer and star of the hit, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," for which she received an Oscar nomination.
At the center of the film is Dr. Christos Doumas, an impassioned Greek archeologist who is working feverishly to piece together the puzzle of ancient Greece and better understand its influence on life today. He weaves a compelling story about how archeology has unearthed the ways in which the early Greek's rapid progress in science, politics, philosophy, sports and art resulted in perhaps the greatest explosion in human advancement ever seen.
Ancient Greece gave us the concept of democracy itself, which evolved in fifth century Athens. The Greeks also created the Olympic games, the beginnings of modern theatre and entertainment, as well as the study of mathematics, physics, architecture, biology, zoology, politics and ethics.
"Because ancient Greece is where many of our own ideas about democracy, human achievement and freedom were first born, it is more important to us than ever," says producer/director Greg MacGillivray, an Academy Award nominated film maker. "Our film is like a form of time travel – we go back to figure out what happened and why. Audiences will have the change to explore archeological ruins, sift through volcanic sands, and examine thought-provoking legends for clues to how the Greeks lives and perishes. Most of all, I hope the film leaves audiences with a sense of the profound lessons the classical Greeks left behind for today's world."
"Greece: Secrets of the Past" is a modern detective story and an archeological journey into the distant past. It offers a new perspective on an age of universal importance to us all.
The "Trophy Trout," given to Pad Leader Guenter Wendt by astronaut Mike Collins on July 16, 1969, has a new home at the Cosmosphere. It is on load from Leon Ford.
The trout was "fresh" when nailed on the board and presented to Wendt. He had it in his freezer for 14 years before he found someone who could freeze dry and preserve it.
The Trophy Trout will eventually be on display at the Cosmosphere, along with other gifts the astronauts exchanged. Many of them were gag gifts, but a fresh trout took that up a notch.
During Coffee at the Cosmosphere in June, Chris Orwoll told the story of the now famous trout.
