Centerline: Oct 2010 - Jan 2011 by Virginia Air & Space Center

Oct 2010 - jan 2011

First Museum in the World to go IMAX Digital!

ut of 447 IMAX theaters worldwide and 256 in the US, the Riverside IMAX Theater, is the first institutional theater in the world to go IMAX Digital! The state-of-the-art enhancements include IMAX’s powerful digital projection system and latest digital surround sound, a new IMAX screen, new flooring, and new seating with cup holders. For our loyal IMAX fans over the years, your experience at the Riverside IMAX Theater just got better! We will still present traditional IMAX films such as Hubble 3D and Under the Sea 3D, but now, we will feature even more of the Hollywood blockbusters on the giant IMAX screen. We kicked off the opening of our renovated IMAX Theater with Legend of the Guardians: Owls of Ga' Hoole and opening October 15 we will present Legends of Flight 3D featuring Boeing's new 787. Check out our full slate of IMAX digital films coming soon on pages 4 & 5. And remember, we still feature the largest IMAX screen on the Peninsula!

Legends of Flight 3D - OPENS OCTOBER

This is the first ever 3D flight film produced for IMAX® Theaters. Legends of Flight 3D is a visually captivating presentation that explores the relationships between natural flight, advanced design, innovative assembly techniques and operational technologies that have brought us to the dawn of a new era in aircraft design with the Boeing 787. Several key aircraft are featured including: The Boeing Model 75 Stearman, Schleicher Glider, Harrier Jump Jet, Super Constellation and the Airbus A380. Incidentally, be sure to see our Stearman, Schleicher Glider and Kestrel (experimental planes that confirmed the thrust vectoring technology that led to the Harrier's development) on display at the Virginia Air & Space Center. Filmed against the backdrop of stunning visuals that define the IMAX genre, the journey culminates with coverage of the maiden flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Legends of Flight 3D places you in the co-pilot seat as you follow The Boeing Company's chief pilot for the Boeing 787, Captain Mike Carriker through the highly anticipated aircraft's maiden flight. Bringing past to present, Legends of Flight 3D describes the pre-flight drama that surrounded the world's newest aviation addition. Be prepared to soar engine-less through breathtaking mountain passes, feel the wind in your hair in a Stearman bi-plane and experience sheer flight exhilaration as a Harrier Jump Jet leaps into the sky at the pilot's command and then rockets to tactical speed. Thanks to our sponsors:

Legends of Flight 3D Members Preview

Friday, October 15, 2010 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

(IMAX presentation of Legends of Flight 3D at 7 p.m.) Take the ultimate “flying experience” without ever leaving the ground! Enter the cockpits of planes representing 100+ years of breakthrough aeronautic design and meet the amazing new Boeing 787!

• See Legends of Flight 3D in the new Digital Riverside IMAX theater. • VASC Curator Allen Hoilman will share some highlights of our planes on display. • Explore our aircrafts & be entered to win a flight gift pack. • FREE large popcorn per family. • Tour the new exhibit Sustainable Choices. • Experience high flying techniques with a live science demonstration. • Create & test your own paper airplane. • FREE MaxFlight rides

from 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. - first-come, first-served

• Receive 20% off in the Imagination Station: One Stop Science Shop.

FREE for members - $5 for friends RSVP by October 13, 2010 Call 727-0900, ext. 718 or email lmcdonald@vasc.org

Educate, entertain and inspire explorers of all ages. 600 Settlers Landing Road • Hampton, VA 23669 • (757) 727-0900 • www.vasc.org

2010-2011

FROM THE DIRECTOR

OCTOBER - JANUARY

n furtherance of the Center’s efforts to “go green” as an official Virginia Green Attraction and to save on printing and postage expenses, our Annual Report will be shared with constituents on our website. On November 1 please check out our first on-line Annual Report at www.vasc.org

CenterLine is published tri-annually for members and friends of the Virginia Air & Space Center. The Center is a private, non-profit educational institution with a mission to educate, entertain and inspire explorers of all ages. If you are interested in sponsoring any part of CenterLine, please contact Kim Hinson at 727-0900, extension 731 or email her at kimhinson@vasc.org. Comments and questions concerning CenterLine should be addressed to Editor, CenterLine, Virginia Air & Space Center, 600 Settlers Landing Road, Hampton, Virginia 23669.

CENTERLINE STAFF

Editor

Kim K. Hinson

Co-Editor

Graphic Design

Megan S. Steele Ann Marie S. Jenkins

Writers

Megan S. Steele Jenny K. Kelly Michael P. Finneran Toni M. Williams

Photographers

IMAX Corporation Ann Marie S. Jenkins K2 Communications Megan S. Steele NASA LaRC/Sean Smith NRG! Exhibits, LLC

Todd C. Bridgford

Executive Director/CEO

At the Annual Board of Directors meeting held July 27, 2010, the Center welcomed new Board member James A. Firth, Director, Strategic Planning & Integration at Boeing’s Newport News Field Office, and a new Special Advisor from Langley Air Force Base, Lt. Col. Michael J. King, Deputy Commander, 1st Operations Group. The following officers for the coming year were elected at the Annual Meeting:

President........................................ Robert E. Lindberg Executive Vice President.............. James Reade Chisman Vice President................................ Michael W. Braham Secretary........................................ Stephen T. Smith Treasurer........................................ Jean M. Yokum

On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff, incoming President Robert Lindberg presented Jean Yokum with a gift in recognition for her leadership and service as President during the past two years. The Center is deeply indebted to Mrs. Yokum for her steadfast service and support as a Board member or officer since her initial appointment in 1997.

SENIOR STAFF Executive Director/CEO Todd C. Bridgford Deputy Director Kim K. Hinson Director of Education Richard A. Byles, Ph.D. Director of Facility Services Christopher L. Guthomson Curator, Director of Exhibits & Collections Allen R. Hoilman Director of Administrative Services Jenny K. Kelly Director of Visitor Services Pearl A. Osby Director of Sales Danielle L. Price Director of Marketing & PR Megan S. Steele

2 CenterLine



October 2010 - January 2011

FY11 Board Members: James Reade Chisman, Stephen T. Smith, Robert E. Lindberg, Jean M. Yokum & Michael W. Braham

(from left to right)

NASA UPDATE New Spin on Space: Ping-Pong Balls to Float Crew Capsule

f ping-pong balls can float a sunken boat, they should be able to keep an uncrewed space capsule simulator from sinking. Right? That's what a team of summer students and engineers think at NASA Langley Research Center. Langley is fabricating a proposed design of an astronaut crew module simulator for uncrewed flight-testing as part of the agency's effort to build a vehicle to replace the space shuttle. The crew module will not be pressurized during the test; it will not have the buoyancy of a pressurized spacecraft. This puts the simulated crew module at risk of sinking to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean after splashdown. To save the valuable test article for analysis and possible reuse, Langley called on a team of creative minds for a solution. And as it turned out, inexpensive, lightweight ping-pong balls provided the answer. Langley engineer John DiNonno proposed the NASA Langley students gather around the crew module mockup that they propose to keep afloat with pingidea, and the Orion Flight Test Office told the team to pong balls after it splashes down. From left, front row: Edward Tillistrand, Brice Collamer, Patrick Cragg, Caroline Kirk and Kurian Thomas. In the capsule, from left; Joseph Randall Hunt, Heather Blount and Victor study it. The idea quickly became "very plausible," said Stewart. Credit: NASA/Sean Smith student Caroline Kirk. "At first we didn't really realize that we were going to get so far in proving that it could be a safe and viable option," said Blount. Keeping the crew would be possible," said Kirk, an aerospace engineering student at module afloat would take at least 150,000 ping-pong balls, the Virginia Tech. "But when we thought about everything logically, students estimate, at a retail price of 50 cents or less each -- a it just seemed like ping-pong balls were the way to go." She and fraction of the cost of traditional options. The students hope to a team of seven other students worked the project in Langley's reduce the cost through a bulk purchase. Mechanical Systems Branch, where they were assigned for the If the flight test is approved, the ping-pong ball concept would summer. still need to be vetted with the flight test team and reviewed by DiNonno got the idea from a Discovery Channel program about NASA senior management. If implemented, the ping-pong balls raising a sunken boat using 27,000 ping-pong balls. Engineer probably will be put into netted bags and secured inside the crew David Covington said that when DiNonno suggested the ping- module just prior to launch. They would virtually fill the available pong ball idea, "I just laughed. Not a 'what are you thinking' kind space inside the uncrewed capsule. Then, when the unsealed of laugh, but more of a 'that's the most awesome thing I've heard in capsule splashes down, the buoyancy of the ping-pong balls will a long time' laugh. I asked him 'are you serious?' and he said 'yeah, offset the weight of incoming water and it will float instead of sink. we're authorized to do a four-week study.' So we went straight to The ping-pong balls also will reduce the volume of air that needs work." to be vented from the capsule during ascent - as well as drawn in Ensuring the outcome would be relatively low-cost was a during descent - as the capsule travels through significant changes top priority, said DiNonno. "Recovering the capsule was not a in atmospheric pressure. requirement, but it was a desire," he said. "So there wasn't going to Approval of the flight test, as well as a launch date, has yet be a lot of investment in it." The students tested ping-pong balls of to be determined. "Even if it is not used, it's an idea that's out varying quality, much the way spacecraft hardware is tested. They there that someone else could use," said Langley engineer Amanda studied how the balls would react to the near-vacuum at the edge Cutright, a student mentor. Cutright said she has been enthused by of space. Using buoyancy tests, they determined how well the balls the students. "It's awesome working with them," she said. "They would float. The students also subjected the ping-pong balls to bring a different perspective. I've been really impressed with how mechanical loads using a hydraulic press, and heated them to see quickly they pick up new ideas and new technology. how they would react to the high temperatures of descent into the It seems each team of students that we mentor Earth's atmosphere. And they performed electrostatic discharge learns quicker and is able to provide creative tests to determine if the balls would produce a static charge that ideas." could disrupt the space capsule's electronics. The ping-pong balls passed all the challenges, said Heather Blount, a materials science engineering student at Virginia Tech. "Through all our testing and calculations, we figured out that it

October 2010 - January 2011

ď §

CenterLine 3

RIVERSIDE 3D IMAX

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole 3D NOW SHOWING IN IMAX 3D!

his animated, family adventure is based on the first three books of the young adult series Guardians of Ga'Hoole, by Kathryn Lasky. The film follows Soren, a young barn owl, who is kidnapped by the owls of St. Aggie's, ostensibly an orphanage, where owlets are brainwashed into becoming soldiers. He and his new friends escape to the island of Ga'Hoole, to assist its noble, wise owls who fight the army that’s being created by the wicked rulers of St. Aggie's.

First movie to see in our new digital Riverside IMAX 3D theater!

MEGAMIND 3D Opens November 5 in IMAX 3D!

reamWorks Animation presents a satirical take on the superhero genre focusing on a down-and-out super villain Megamind (Will Ferrell). Being brilliant and diabolical, Megamind has been attempting to conquer Earth for over 20 years but his plans are always destroyed by his arch nemesis Metro Man (Brad Pitt). After Megamind accidentally kills Metro Man, he becomes bored since their no one left to fight. The only thing he can do is create a new foe, Titan (Jonah Hill), who, instead of using his powers for good, sets out to destroy the world. This leaves Megamind with a chance to save the day for the first time in his life.

Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows 3D Part I

Opens November 19 in IMAX 3D!

he exciting world of Harry Potter continues as Harry, Ron, and Hermione go on a trek that Dumbledore has sent them on to find and destroy all of the lost Horcruxes. This mission won’t be easy because Voldemort's power is growing stronger. He now has control over the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts. Harry, Ron, and Hermione decide to finish Dumbledore's work and find the rest of the Horcruxes to defeat the Dark Lord. On their own, without the guidance of their professors or the protection of Professor Dumbledore, the three friends must rely on one another more than ever Dark Forces are in their midst that threaten to tear them apart and little hope remains for them, so everything they do must go as planned.

4 CenterLine



October 2010 - January 2011

RIVERSIDE 3D IMAX

TRON: Legacy 3D Opens December 17 in IMAX 3D!

his action packed adventure film is set in a digital world that's unlike anything ever captured on the giant screen. Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) is a tech savvy, rebellious 27-year-old who is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his father Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges). Kevin was once known as the world's leading video-game developer. Sam investigates a strange signal sent from the old Flynn's Arcade and finds himself pulled into a world of fierce programs and gladiatorial games where his father has been living for 25 years. With help from the fearless warrior Quorra (Olivia Wilde), father and son embark on a life-and-death journey across a visually stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous.

the green hornet 3d Opens January 14 in IMAX 3D!

tart the year off with some action packed adventure and the new IMAX film, The Green Hornet 3D. Britt Reid (Seth Rogen) is the son of LA’s most prominent, millionaire publisher and he is perfectly happy to maintain a direction-less existence on the party scene. When Britt’s father (Tom Wilkinson) mysteriously dies, he strikes an unlikely friendship with one of his father’s more industrious and inventive employees, Kato (Jay Chou). His father’s death gives them an opportunity to do something meaningful for the first time in their lives: fight crime. But in order to do this, they decide to become criminals themselves, protecting the law by breaking it. Britt becomes the vigilante The Green Hornet and he and Kato hit the streets. With the help of Britt’s new secretary, Lenore Case (Cameron Diaz), they begin hunting down the man who controls LA’s gritty underworld: Benjamin Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz).

www.vasc.org

Please check website daily for showtimes Thanks to Theater Sponsors:

Did you know our Cafe not only serves the classics like popcorn, drinks & candy, but also hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries & more?

Members receive 10% OFF in the Cafe!

October 2010 - January 2011



CenterLine 5

TRAVELING EXHIBIT Living Today with Tomorrow in MindTM

NEW EXHIBIT! Now through January 2!

iscover how “going green” can be fun with the new traveling exhibit Sustainable Choices, at the Virginia Air & Space Center. Sustainable Choices explains the importance of protecting our environment. This educational and interactive exhibit promotes environmentally friendly ideas to help us better understand life cycles, production of materials, consumption and waste management. Sustainable Choices explores the use of utilities through our daily rituals. Have you ever wondered what happens to the water that is used for common household purposes? Where does it end up and what happens to the detergents and other various chemicals that get added along the way? In How do I Wash & Dry? you can participate in an interactive quiz board that challenges you to think about the amount of water and energy used in daily activities. At what cost does it take to keep your garden green? Vast amounts of water are consumed each year to keep yards from turning brown. Add the pesticides, herbicides and lawn mower exhaust and the environmental costs grow pretty high. In Is the Lawn Really Green? you are invited to plant a seed in compost at home or in the exhibit. You can discover the various alternatives to lawn care. Have you ever pondered how the invisible world of electricity works? Where Does Electricity Go? explores the electric world of light bulbs, televisions, AC adapters, batteries and heat. Learn about the origin of electricity and its energy by participating in a light bulb comparison interactive. The modern shopper has many choices. From running to the store, shopping online, purchasing organic products or the use of paper or plastic, shopping can get pretty confusing. How Do I Shop? allows you to consider the source of our goods, the trail

to the marketplace and the remnants that linger when we are done. Take a “what does it mean” label challenge and participate in a recyclables sorting activity. Not only are there many choices to make when shopping, there are also sustainable ways to get there. In How Do I Get from Here to There? you will learn about the various modes of transportation such as car-pooling, taking the bus or riding a bike. Discover the differences in petroleum and biofuels and burn off some calories on the pedal power interactive. Sustainable Choices teaches us how the small choices that we make on a daily basis affect the health of the planet that we share. Learn how to make changes that will have a major, positive impact on our environment and how important these changes are to the sustainability of our future.

GOING GREEN DAY at the Virginia Air & Space Center

Saturday October 9, 2010 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

• Watch a special presentation on home composting and the importance of trees in the urban eco-sphere by Hampton Master Gardeners at 12 p.m. • Learn about keeping our waterways clean with Water Works. • See the benefits of using rain barrels & learn about water efficiency with Public Works & the Newport News Master Gardeners. • Check out Hampton’s efforts to keep the city clean with the Hampton Clean City Commission. • Recycle your unwanted personal electronic equipment & receive $1 OFF exhibit admission. ($1 per person only) Items that can be e-cycled: - Personal computers & laptops Green - Printers, Fax Machines - Monitors and flat screens - Telephones, cell phones, PDAs - Televisions smaller than 32” - Circuit boards & components - Stereo equipment & game systems

Thanks to Community Sponsors:

up while you clean

up!