A Few SLB Exhibits

 

 The Second Life Birthday is full of noteworthy exhibits. One that caught my eye was "The Great Carrot Caper" in SLB Marvelous by Owlie Fairlander, Beth Ghostraven, and several other contributors. In this tribute to Abbot & Costello and Alfred Hitchcock, you take part in a mystery comedy in which the goal is to find fourteen golden carrots (a pun on 14 karat gold).

 

 https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SLB%20Marvelous/67/137/21

 

"The Great Movie Ride" at SLB Breathtaking by On A Whim Designs

Welcome, movie lovers, to the On A Whim Great Movie Ride! Please keep your hands, arms, feet, and any runaway screenplays safely inside the vehicle at all times. We're hoping to catch a little movie magic today, and you've picked the perfect cast for the job. Please do not exit the vehicle once you've sat down.  I'm Cody, and alongside me is Roxy. Together we'll be your guides through some of the most memorable moments in cinema history. Lights, camera, action!

 

 https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SLB%20Breathtaking/185/140/21

 

 "Expendable Space - The Ocean Floor" at SLB Stupendous by the International Spaceflight Museum, and Helena Kiama and Roy Sutton.

 

What goes up must come down. While we often look to the sky to see the future of spaceflight, the history of our journey is written on the ocean floor. Come explore a detailed underwater graveyard featuring discarded boosters, fuel tanks, and engine clusters from the rockets that built our modern world. Also, discover an underwater habitat used for astronaut training.

 

 https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SLB%20Stupendous/116/185/21

 

Discover more at the Second Life Birthday grounds 

 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

Artemis II Splashdown Seen in Second Life

 

 With a lot going on in Second Life on Friday April 10, it was easy to miss one big event in space news. Artemis II, the spacecraft that went around the moon, returned to Earth. Having launched on April 1, for nine days it traveled through space farther than any human had gone since the last of the Apollo Moon missions in 1972, circling the moon and getting a peek at the seldom seen dark side on April 6. And Friday was when the journey would end.

 

The event would be broadcasted live in a number of locations in Second Life, such as the Premier Business Center. But yours truly dropped by the International Space Museum at Spaceport Alpha where the descent was shown live at the auditorium area. And at 5:07 PM SL time, it splashed down. 

 

Commentary: There's been plenty of bad news in real life lately, war, corruption, political discord so bad, much of the public sees not just politicians but the people behind those they oppose as a threat to the country.  There are those who feel the money spent on manned space program should be spent on other things such as expanding foreign aid or building even more and better bombs and missiles. But humans have always been explorers, looking at new frontiers. And this moon mission was a reminder we've still got it.

 

"To the moon, and beyond,"

 

*Addition* I would also do a post on my Food on The Table. 

 

Bixyl Shuftan 

 

The International Space Museum

 

It's a place most longtime residents know about, and all newcomers should, especially if they're space fans: The International Space Museum. While some exhibits have been around for over a decade, others are more recent. And people come by whenever there's a spacecraft being launched of landing that's being televised. With the 20th anniversary coming up, Bixyl Shuftan went over for a look around.

 

 Read Bixyl's story in Places. 

 

Watching the Mars Lander At The ISM

 

Yesterday, the Mars rover "Perseverance" touched down successfully. After a journey of half a year and 300 million miles, the craft entered the Martian atmosphere, deployed it's parachute, and landed without a problem in the Jezero Crater. The most advanced robot to date send to the red planet, it will look for evidence if there was ever life in the past on the world. Photos are already coming in, though it will take a little time for the car-sized robot to get moving. 

In Second Life, me and several others were watching from the International Space Museum in the Spaceport Alpha sim. In the past, people went there for Space Shuttle launches and landings. But they would end in 2011. But whenever something like this happens, one's sure to find a few space fans heading over to watch (or in my case watch from the webbrowser as the screen inworld wasn't working). I talked a little with them, and besides a few moments of joking around, there was a general sense of optimism and hope. Despite the Pandemic, despite the deep freeze across much of the US, despite the political troubles, the march of science and progress continues.

Bixyl Shuftan

 

The International Space Museum Celabrates 15 Years

If you have friends that are space fans, one place you'll want to point out to them whether they're thinking of joining Second Life or are already here is the International Space Museum, or ISM. Last Sunday, this noted area of adult science education in the virtual world celebrated it's fifteenth anniversary. There was plenty of fun, and the museum director had a few things to say to the Newser.

Read more in Events.

Announcement: World Space Week Oct 4-10

The National Space Society and the International Spaceflight Museum are teaming up to celebrate World Space Week during the week of October 4 - 10 [ https://www.worldspaceweek.org/ ]. The 2019 theme is “The Moon:  Gateway to the Stars.” According to a UN General Assembly resolution on 6 December 1999:  “The General Assembly declares 4 to 10 October World Space Week to celebrate each year at the international level the contributions of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition”.

We would like to have space-related presentations and panel discussions throughout the week...extra credit for connection to this year's topic or the UN event's purpose. Potential presenters: please feel free to propose your own topic! If you would like to make a presentation or participate in one or more panel discussions, please contact Ariel Miranda with the following:


Your avatar name: 

Your real life name and brief credentials (not required but will be considered): 

What presentation(s) and/or panel discussions would you like to propose/participate in?: 


Current panel topic brainstorming includes:
    The value proposition for colonizing the Moon, and Mars
    Resolved: micro-satellites are the scourge of the spaceways
    Lunar Gateway: Foundation or Farce?
    How close are we to the tipping point beyond which profits can be made in space?
    Moons of Jupiter and Saturn
    Asteroid mining
    The place of the arts in space
Please let us know if you have other suggestions.

If you are aware of other potentially interested individuals or groups, please feel free to pass along this information.

Ad astra (to the stars!),
Ariel Miranda

Three SL16B Exhibits

There's so many exhibits at the Second Life Birthday, we can't write about them all. But we can put the spotlight on a few. One is from the Safe Waters Foundation, a community of merfolk and their landwalking friends.

Tell your friends!  There be mermaids, mermen and sea creatures at the celebration event for SL's 16th year of existence (SLBD16)! Do come by to see our booth ... and check out the other displays.  Booth is incredibly well done by JJ Yowahoshi (Miss JJ).  Thanks  to Miss JJ and Celtic Infinity for all their hard work and talent. Hope you have a moment to drop in and admire our outreach to let people know - MER IS AN OPTION.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SL16B%20Astonish/29/161/21

With the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing next month, it's fitting that there would be a "Back to the Moon" exhibit,  made by both the International Space Museum and National Space Society.

From the era of sock hops and the Space Age, to a possible future a short 16 years from now, the International Spaceflight Museum and the National Space Society invite you “Back to the Moon!” in a tribute to the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11.

While getting a man to the Moon became science fact in 1969, in the 50s, it was still very much science-fiction. Part of the exhibit is a nod to how people in the 50s imagined the trip. Another part examines how in the near future we won't be just returning, but making a base there.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SL16B%20Astonish/157/99/24

With the Relay for Life in Second Life having just concluded it's fundraising season, it's fans will appreciate it's own exhibit at the Second Life Birthday. This build by Eclair Martinek resembles the inside of a 50s diner.

Since 2007 the American Cancer Society has had a "virtual office" in Second Life. The American Cancer Society provides inworld support groups for cancer Survivors and Caregivers throughout the year at Hope Haven on the American Cancer Society region. Visit the Relay for Life exhibit at SL16B for more information.


Probably the most important development in the 1950s in the fight against cancer was that the link between cigarettes and lung cancer was clearly established in 1950.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SL16B%20Enchant/48/200/23

Be sure to visit these, and other exhibits, at the Second Life Birthday

Bixyl Shuftan

Press Release: Yuri's Night

Yuri’s Night is a global celebration of humanity’s past, present, and future in space. Yuri’s Night parties and events are held around the world every April in commemoration of Yuri Gagarin becoming the first human to venture into space on 12 April, 1961, and the inaugural launch of the first Space Shuttle on 12 April, 1981.

For more information:  https://yurisnight.net

The International Spaceflight Museum and the National Space Society will co-sponsor a Yuri's Night celebration at: Galaxy Dome Music Venue
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Spaceport%20Bravo/135/56/279

Futuristic, space-related or early '60s fashions are encouraged, but in no way required...and there will be freebies available!

Friday, April 12th
2:00-4:00 pm    DJ Aristippus spins space-themed tunes and songs of the Space Age.

Aristippus, The Sexy DJ, has been spinning tunes for roughly a decade, specializing in rock ’n’ roll. Some years ago, he began cleaning and recording his personal collection of vinyl records. Now, except for the rare special occasion, his sets include only the music that comes from his vinyl.

International Spaceflight Museum:  http://www.ismuseum.org
National Space Society:  https://space.nss.org/  ;  https://nssinsl.wordpress.com

The party will continue at the Sagan Planetarium beginning at 4 pm:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Aspen/200/120/3730

For those out in the open sims of the Outer Metaverse, you can celebrate Yuri's Night (also Friday, 12 April) with a full cast of singers and DJs at ISM's Kitely facility.

3 pm pst Dj Rosa Alekseev  
4 pm pst Dj Jahka Flowens   
5 pm pst Dj Libra Tyrell        
6 pm pst Dj Stone Lunasea 
7 pm pst Singer Agatha Nowles

Kitely venue:  hop://grid.kitely.com:8002/ISMuseum/311/83/22

And happening all weekend, drop in on our friends at Burn2 for "Burnal Equinox" with the theme "Eyes to the Skies" in honor of Yuri's Night:

https://www.burn2.org/events/burnal-equinox-2019/

National Space Society Celebrates NASA's 60th Anniversary

On Monday October 1, the National Space Society in Second Life celebrated NASA's 60th anniversary. It was October 1 1958 when the organization was first operational. For a couple hours on Monday afternoon, the NSS held a small party at the International Space Museum, in the Spaceport Alpha sim, to celebrate.

Yuri's Night 2018

Thursday evening on April 12 was "Yuri's Night," an international celebration of the anniversary of the first manned mission in space. Although at the time it was seen as a defeat for the American space program as the United States was engaged in the Cold War with the Soviet Union, in years since it has been come to seen as a triumph for all of humanity.

For the event's first two hours, the party took place high above the Spaceport Bravo sim. Then at 4PM SL time, the people headed to the Sagan Planetarium at Aspen (200/120/3730). There, people danced, sometimes going weightless. Next to them, the planetary displayed to show each of the planets and the dwarf planets Ceres and Pluto. It was a fun time for space nuts.

For pictures of the 2016 Yuri's Night, Click Here.

Bixyl Shuftan

Press Release: "Yuri's Night"

Yuri’s Night is a global celebration of humanity’s past, present, and future in space. Yuri’s Night parties and events are held around the world every April in commemoration of Yuri Gagarin becoming the first human to venture into space on 12 April, 1961, and the inaugural launch of the first Space Shuttle on 12 April, 1981.

For more information:  https://yurisnight.net

The International Spaceflight Museum and the National Space Society will co-sponsor a Yuri's Night celebration at:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Spaceport%20Bravo/108/133/1603

Futuristic, space-related or early '60s fashions are encouraged, but in no way required...and there will be freebies available!

Thursday, April 12th
2:00-4:00 pm    DJ Aristippus spins space-themed tunes and songs of the Space Age.

Aristippus, The Sexy DJ, has been spinning tunes for roughly a decade, specializing in rock ’n’ roll. Some years ago, he began cleaning and recording his personal collection of vinyl records. Now, except for the rare special occasion, his sets include only the music that comes from his vinyl.

National Space Society in SL:  https://nssinsl.wordpress.com
International Spaceflight Museum:  http://www.ismuseum.org

The party will continue at the Sagan Planetarium beginning at 4 pm:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Aspen/200/120/3730

More New Year's Eve Parties

New Years Eve Rocket Launching Party!

Join the International Spaceflight Museum to welcome in the New Year with a bang! 
Time:  The model rocket launch is at 0000 hours GMT (4:00 pm SLT/Pacific Time) Saturday, Dec 31, but we will gather 30-60 minutes early to set up and start the festivities. 
Place:  Between the landing point and the ISM Planetarium, on the seashore, at about (20, 67, 22).
Music courtesy of Ari Vita.
Goodie bags, free food & drinks, and fun for all!  Please join us.
Happy New Year from all of us at ISM!!

International Spaceflight Museum, Spaceport Alpha (50, 79, 24)

*  *  *  *  *

Ring in 2017 at Second Life's Longest Running New Years Eve Tradition
~ T1Radio's 12th Rockin' New Years Eve ~

     Dec 31, 2016     7pm until...
Ball Drop Countdowns From Atlantic to Pacific
Fireworks Party Favors and More
Music by T1's Trader, Nuala and Friends
Arinultra Pier
Formal Attire Preferred

T1Radio's LEGENDS Classic Rock Club (Established 2005), Arinultra Cay (198, 41, 27)

*  *  *  *  *

Furry Fashion Lounge's New Years Eve -

DJ: Moff (MoffettMephit), Host Len and Em

9-12PM

Furry (159, 200, 113)

World Space Week in Second Life

It's World Space Week this week. It was 61 years ago today in which the Russians (then the USSR) launched Sputnik, the first satellite into space. Second Life has numerous space-themed locations, the best known being the International Space Museum at Spaceport Alpha (114,142,23).

Another place is the Sagan Planetarium at Aspen (199, 119, 3729). which has a small museum and a Planetarium. One can also find a laser tag maze on the sky platform at (133,168,3720).

The National Space Society is having an activity of their own. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Star Trek, they're doing a kind of poll in which residents are asked to rank the probability of certain kinds of Trek technology from warp drive, to transporters, to replicators. You can head there to take part, or just look around, at National Space Society (128,152,1261)

There's a lot more to see space-wise, but part of the fun of space exploration is, well, exploring.

"See you later, space cowboy."

Bixyl Shuftan

The International Space Museum

Going about Second Life, Wesley's explorations took him to the SciLands, and the International Space Museum. Often called the ISM for short, the location has been popular with space enthusiasts since it was build in 2005, and even after almost a decade continues to wow visitors. Wesley took a look around too see things for himself. So what was his view?

Read Wesley's article in Places.

The ISM to be Officially Incorporated

Kat Lemieux, the director of the International Space Museum, recently spoke to Second Life Newser about an important move for the noted Sci-Lands location and the group behind it. The virtual museum will be officially incorporated in real life. But this move will not be the only one made by the ISM. Kat describes what will happen.

Read the story in Extra.

Christmas at the ISM: Performance by Cypress Rosewood

At the International Space Station in Second Life, ambient musician Cypress Rosewood gave a performance in the afternoon. On this Winter Solstace night, the sim had been giving a wintery look, including the grounds where the event was held at Spaceport Alpha.

Join us for a mid-winter celebration at the International Spaceflight Museum, 2pm SLT this afternoon!  In addition to a concert of space music by real- and virtual-world renowned composer/performer, Cypress Rosewood, we will have tours, fireworks, model rocket launches, and more! Plan to spend the day/evening with us in a gala jubilee to celebrate this annual astronomical event.

Cypress' gentle music was played alongside some special effects, which got smiles from the audience (including through IMs, as I got a few requests for copies of the pics I was taking). One special effect though came from one of the two reindeer in the audience in the form of a lit red nose.

Cypress performs every week at the Spindrift sim south of the ISM every week at 8PM SL time on Sundays, Spindrift (156, 81, 98). The ISM is directed by Kat Lemieux.

Press Release: Exploring Mars and Discovering Earth Space week 2013

 Space Week 2013 is taking place on Second Life! The theme this years is Exploring Mars and Discovering Earth. The National Space Society in conjunction with the International Spaceflight Museum is holding celebrations for all to attend Oct the 5th and 6th.  They plan to kick off the party with Best Dressed on Mars, sporting a contest for the trendiest and best dressed Best Dressed Martian In-Habitat Wear, and the Best Martian Surface-Wear, with prizes to be awarded! The Event will take place On Oct the 5th at 3PM SLT at Yuri’s Night Party Place http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Spaceport%20Bravo/104/129/1506 ,  this is a GA sim so please keep that fashion conscious mind for all audiences!  After the festivities DJ Emileigh Starbrook will continue the party from 6PMSLT to 8PM SLT.  On October 6th There will be presentations given on the theme Exploring Mars and Discovering Earth by varies speakers starting at 3pm SLT on the Spaceport Bravo sim http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Spaceport%20Alpha/140/151/23 .  Anyone interested in participating is encouraged to contact for more information on how to be a presenter or questions for the Best Dressed Martian in-habitat wear, and the Best Martian Surface-Wear.

Spaceport Alpha (140/151/23)

Spaceport Alpha/International Space Museum Is Back

Good news for space fans in Second Life. The Spaceport Alpha sim, home to the International Space Museum or ISM is back online after having been closed for a few weeks. There had been some concerns that the return of the place would be further delayed due to Linden Lab asking for both the back payments and a purchase fee for a new sim. But they were laid to rest when on Wednesday February 22nd the sim was back online for all to see.


Checking back for myself, the place was fully restored, rockets and all. I thought I noticed a few exhibitions I hadn't seen before, but perhaps they were recent additions I missed on my last trip over.

While at the sim, I ran into the Director, Kat Lemieux. She was happy to have the place back up and running. Just why did the place go offline? "Yes, the person who was in charge got sick, and didn't tell anyone, and ... Well, it was a big mixup. But we're going to make sure that doesn't happen again. ... It was pretty scary for awhile, there. We thought it was all gone for good."

Of the demand that the ISM group pay a sim purchase fee, "The Linden support person who took it down wasn't totally clued into LL policy, but once it was brought to the attention of the right people, it got straightened out. ... that was a low-level staffer. Once somebody higher up with some authority found out, it got taken care of. I understand many of the new support staff aren't very knowlegable about SL, which is too bad, but what can you do?" She thanked the Second Life newspapers and blogs that publicized the sim closing for their help, "those who were vocal about (the ISM), commenting on the blogs, helped make sure it came back. Linden Lab does pay attention to public opinion."

Asking Kat what were the plans of the ISM, "Well, the planning group will resume regular meetings, then we're going to start revising exhibits, and putting on events again. First up is a party!"

They will be having a new exhibit up soon, and plan on having Cypress Rosewood perform over sometime in March. Later on at one of their meetings, they may have a author of "military science fiction."

Kat and I talked on for a while. She pointed out exhibits such as the Apollo Program Saturn V rocket, and the HUGE Vehicle Assembly building, which in real life holds the record for being the largest building in volume on the planet. She told me she had spent much of her childhood living near Cape Canaveral as her father worked there, saying her school would have extended "fire drills" whenever there was a launch, "the country administrator wouldn't call off classes just for 'some clown' in a rocket." She moved before the Apollo Program, but made trips over to see a few shuttle launches. When asked about the people who saw shuttle launches and landings televised at the ISM up to the last one, she grinned, "They got a better view."

The International Space Museum has numerous exhibitions, plus a gift shop where one can buy souveniers, which help fund the sim. There are also various donation jars one can chip in. Spaceport Alpha is one of the Sci-Land sims which are devoted to news and adult education about sciences, especially astronomy and related sciences. The ISM gets no funding from NASA, nor are any of the members of it's group from the government.

To check the ISM blog, Click Here.

To get to the ISM, Click Here to go to Spaceport Alpha.

Bixyl Shuftan

Spaceport Alpha/International Space Museum Sim Goes Offline, But Will Return

Some sad news hit Second Life recently when Spaceport Alpha, the home of the International Space Museum, went offline. On the Grid since 2006, the place was a favorite of space fans. However, thanks to some help, the sim may not be gone for long.

Read more in Extra.