While hovering around the memorabilia display Friday afternoon, I happened to run into Wes Lyons. After introducing myself, Wes tipped me off to a little pre-celebration that would be going on at 5:00pm. Of course, that’s also the time the museum closed to visitors, which happened to be the heading I unfortunately fell under on this trip. No matter though! When I made my way over to the cafeteria, where this event was being staged, Wes was there and security wasn’t, so it was no big deal! To the left of the table, you can see the poster that was given out to all who visited on May 25th. To the right is a poster to promote the IMAX film, Space Station, which would begin playing at the Space Center on the 25th. The banner in the middle is the very banner that hung in Space Camp’s old training center way back in the early 1980’s! Truly a historic piece that anyone would be proud to have! On the table is the first of several “Space Camp Cakes” that were ordered for the festivities.
Campers from the Parent/Child camp, Space Camp for Educators, and other trainees that just happen to be at the right place at the right time were brought in to the area as a local television crew came in to promote the next day’s festivities.
WAAY31, the local ABC affiliate, was kind enough to come out for the evening to promote the Space Camp’s birthday. Here, one of WAAY31’s news anchors, Don Phelps, broadcasts live from the U.S. Space & Rocket Center!
Mr. Phelps interviewed several people that evening. Here he is interviewing Chip Yarbrough! This, of course, is the same Chip Yarbrough whose graduation certificate you saw in the Memorabilia display as well as the same Chip Yarbrough who is currently the “Aerospace Program Manager” at Space Camp/Aviation Challenge. Chip spoke about his experience at the very first Space Camp as well as why it was and continues to be such an excellent program for children.
I put this photo in here because I think it’s cool that you can see rocket park through the glass, but Don Phelps is actually interviewing The Space & Rocket Center’s current CEO, Larry Capps, the gentleman in the suit on the right who you can almost make out through the sunlight.
