Post by Dimitris on Mar 4, 2004 3:02:27 GMT -5
02.23.2004
NASA Joins Voyager DVD Launch Celebration
A museum-full of Star Trek and NASA dignitaries mingled last Thursday night at a reception marking the February 24 release of the Season 1 DVD box set of Star Trek: Voyager, with the dual purpose of honoring NASA for bringing the dream of Star Trek closer to fruition.
An impressive array of stars and behind-the-scenes names converged on the California Science Center near downtown Los Angeles, including prominent Trek director Winrich Kolbe; producer/editor J.P. Farrell; producer Stephen Welke; visual effects masters Dan Curry and Ronald B. Moore; makeup supervisor Michael Westmore; and illustrator Rick Sternbach.
Making a surprise appearance was Majel Barrett Roddenberry, who was actually there accompanying an old friend of hers, astrophysicist Dr. Sallie Baliunas, one of the evening's speakers. Ms. Barrett's son, Eugene W. Roddenberry Jr., was also in attendance.
Besides Ms. Barrett, the most recognizable faces, of course, were the Voyager stars themselves, Garrett Wang, Robert Picardo, Ethan Phillips and Tim Russ, who were all part of the program.
The first speaker was Dr. Baliunas, past deputy director of Mt. Wilson Observatory, who spoke of the imperative to go to Mars. "Are we alone in the cosmos? I have not met any Star Trek fan — and I don't think one exists — who doesn't think so." She continued, "If it can be confirmed that life began independently on two planets in the solar system ... Mars and Earth, and given that we know that life is tenacious and opportunistic, then we know the answer. We know the cosmos is crowded with life. So the stakes for going to Mars are quite high. If we find any evidence that there was life or is life on Mars, it would then mean that we are not alone, that there are intelligences everywhere in the universe. So the answer to, Why should we go? With the stakes this high, learning that we are not alone, why would you not go?"
Picardo then took the podium and introduced four international student scientists who are currently working with NASA on the current Mars projects, courtesy of The Planetary Society, which Picardo is an officer of. A NASA video was then projected on the museum wall which related the January 14 speech of President George W. Bush announcing his directive to return to the Moon and eventually send men and women to Mars. Afterwards, the four Voyager actors took the dais again, with Russ making the formal presentation of the evening.
Russ began his remarks echoing Dr. Baliunas' sentiments. "Given the vast number of stars and possible star systems like our own, there's a good chance that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe, and it's possible that such life may have even achieved space travel," Russ said. "They actually could be orbiting our planet right now, waiting to make First Contact with the human race — or just hoping to get an audition on American Idol."
Russ then presented a plaque to NASA's envoy for the evening, shuttle astronaut Dr. Janice Voss. The plaque contained a copy of the Voyager DVD box mounted within it, with a plate reading, "Star Trek Voyager and Paramount Home Entertainment salute the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Los Angeles 2/19/04"
In her own remarks, Dr. Voss spoke of growing up with Star Trek and being inspired by it. She said she believes the show in all its incarnations "inspires children to say, 'This is something really interesting and really cool, and if I study math and science, I can do that too.'" She continued, "The line I take from President Bush's speech is, This is not a race but a journey. And that's what all the Star Trek series are about. And if children can grow up with that lesson and enjoy the journey and be inspired to be the best that they can be, then Star Trek has fulfilled everybody's dreams."
Others from the Star Trek world in attendance that night included Eric Stillwell, former TNG script supervisor and writer; Penny Juday, Star Trek archivist and former art department coordinator; and Larry Nemecek, author and editor of Star Trek Communicator magazine.
www.startrek.com
NASA Joins Voyager DVD Launch Celebration
A museum-full of Star Trek and NASA dignitaries mingled last Thursday night at a reception marking the February 24 release of the Season 1 DVD box set of Star Trek: Voyager, with the dual purpose of honoring NASA for bringing the dream of Star Trek closer to fruition.
An impressive array of stars and behind-the-scenes names converged on the California Science Center near downtown Los Angeles, including prominent Trek director Winrich Kolbe; producer/editor J.P. Farrell; producer Stephen Welke; visual effects masters Dan Curry and Ronald B. Moore; makeup supervisor Michael Westmore; and illustrator Rick Sternbach.
Making a surprise appearance was Majel Barrett Roddenberry, who was actually there accompanying an old friend of hers, astrophysicist Dr. Sallie Baliunas, one of the evening's speakers. Ms. Barrett's son, Eugene W. Roddenberry Jr., was also in attendance.
Besides Ms. Barrett, the most recognizable faces, of course, were the Voyager stars themselves, Garrett Wang, Robert Picardo, Ethan Phillips and Tim Russ, who were all part of the program.
The first speaker was Dr. Baliunas, past deputy director of Mt. Wilson Observatory, who spoke of the imperative to go to Mars. "Are we alone in the cosmos? I have not met any Star Trek fan — and I don't think one exists — who doesn't think so." She continued, "If it can be confirmed that life began independently on two planets in the solar system ... Mars and Earth, and given that we know that life is tenacious and opportunistic, then we know the answer. We know the cosmos is crowded with life. So the stakes for going to Mars are quite high. If we find any evidence that there was life or is life on Mars, it would then mean that we are not alone, that there are intelligences everywhere in the universe. So the answer to, Why should we go? With the stakes this high, learning that we are not alone, why would you not go?"
Picardo then took the podium and introduced four international student scientists who are currently working with NASA on the current Mars projects, courtesy of The Planetary Society, which Picardo is an officer of. A NASA video was then projected on the museum wall which related the January 14 speech of President George W. Bush announcing his directive to return to the Moon and eventually send men and women to Mars. Afterwards, the four Voyager actors took the dais again, with Russ making the formal presentation of the evening.
Russ began his remarks echoing Dr. Baliunas' sentiments. "Given the vast number of stars and possible star systems like our own, there's a good chance that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe, and it's possible that such life may have even achieved space travel," Russ said. "They actually could be orbiting our planet right now, waiting to make First Contact with the human race — or just hoping to get an audition on American Idol."
Russ then presented a plaque to NASA's envoy for the evening, shuttle astronaut Dr. Janice Voss. The plaque contained a copy of the Voyager DVD box mounted within it, with a plate reading, "Star Trek Voyager and Paramount Home Entertainment salute the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Los Angeles 2/19/04"
In her own remarks, Dr. Voss spoke of growing up with Star Trek and being inspired by it. She said she believes the show in all its incarnations "inspires children to say, 'This is something really interesting and really cool, and if I study math and science, I can do that too.'" She continued, "The line I take from President Bush's speech is, This is not a race but a journey. And that's what all the Star Trek series are about. And if children can grow up with that lesson and enjoy the journey and be inspired to be the best that they can be, then Star Trek has fulfilled everybody's dreams."
Others from the Star Trek world in attendance that night included Eric Stillwell, former TNG script supervisor and writer; Penny Juday, Star Trek archivist and former art department coordinator; and Larry Nemecek, author and editor of Star Trek Communicator magazine.
www.startrek.com