Mission Control Center (MCC) is a unit that manages aerospace flights. MCC is often part of an aerospace agency. There are several such agencies in the world, the three biggest ones being:

• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
• Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA)
• European Space Agency (ESA)

The main task of MCC is to manage space missions. A staff of flight controllers and other support personnel monitor all aspects of the mission using telemetry. In the United States, the Mission Control Center is associated with manned space flight. A separate organization called the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and control room manages unmanned space probes. NASA logo Listen to this article · (info) This audio file was created from an article revision dated 2005-09-01, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ... == The Russian Federal Space Agency (Russian: Федеральное космическое агентство) (commonly known as Roskosmos), formerly the Russian Aviation and Space Agency (RKA; in Russian: Российское авиационно-космическое агентство) is the government agency responsible for Russias space science program and general aerospace research. ... The European Space Agency (ESA), established in 1975,is an inter-governmental organisation dedicated to exploration of space with currently 17 member states. ... Flight controller: a space flight control room position at NASAs Mission Control Center. ... Telemetry is a technology which allows the remote measurement and reporting of information of interest to the system designer or operator. ... The Caltech Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), in La Cañada Flintridge, near Pasadena, California, USA, builds and operates unmanned spacecraft for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). ... A space probe is an unmanned space mission in which a spacecraft leaves Earths orbit. ...

NASA Mission Control Center

JSC MCC Flight Control Room, STS-30 mission

Located at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, the NASA MCC was first used in 1964 with the Gemini 4 mission, the first American EVA flight. Prior to Gemini 4, all Mercury-Redstone, Mercury-Atlas, and the unmanned Gemini 1, Gemini 2, and manned Gemini 3 missions were controlled by the MCC center at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Between 1964 until its replacement with the new "MCC-2" in 1998, the NASA MCC has controlled virturally all Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, and Space Shuttle flights. An aerial view of the complete Johnson Space Center facility in Houston, Texas in 1989. ... STS-30 was a space shuttle mission by NASA using the Space Shuttle Atlantis. ... An aerial view of the complete Johnson Space Center facility in Houston, Texas in 1989. ... Nickname: Space City Motto: Official website: www. ... Gemini 4 (officially Gemini IV) was a 1965 manned space flight in NASAs Gemini program. ... Gemini 1 was a 1964 unmanned space flight in NASAs Gemini program. ... Gemini 2 was an unmanned flight in the U.S. Gemini program. ... Gemini 3 was a 1965 manned space flight in NASAs Gemini program. ... Cape Canaveral is a city located in Brevard County, Florida, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 8,829. ... Project Gemini insignia Project Gemini was the second human spaceflight program in which the United States of America sent humans into space, between Projects Mercury and Apollo, during the years 1963-1966. ... Apollo Program insignia Project Apollo was a series of human spaceflight missions undertaken by the United States of America using the Apollo spacecraft and Saturn launch vehicle, conducted during the years 1961–1972. ... Drawing of Skylab with components labelled Skylab was the first space station the United States launched into orbit. ... The Space Shuttle Columbia seconds after engine ignition, 1981 (NASA). ...

The NASA MCC room, known as the Mission Operations Control Room (MOCR), consists of a four-tier auditorium, dominated by a large map screen, which for the exception of Apollo lunar flights, has a mercator projection of the Earth, with locations of the numerous tracking stations spread out all over the Earth, and a three-orbit track of the spacecraft in flight. Each MOCR tier were specialized in nature, and contained specific controllers, each handling a portion of the spacecraft or launch vehicle.

The first row, known as "The Trench," consists of four controllers–BOOSTER, RETRO, FIDO, and GUIDO. The BOOSTER controller monitors the launch vehicle, and his or her job lasts no more than six hours. The RETRO, FIDO, and GUIDO controllers monitors the spacecraft trajectory, handles any course changes, and establishes launch and landing "windows." Flight controller: a space flight control room position at NASAs Mission Control Center. ... Flight controller: a space flight control room position at NASAs Mission Control Center. ... Flight controller: a space flight control room position at NASAs Mission Control Center. ... Flight controller: a space flight control room position at NASAs Mission Control Center. ...

The second row, since Project Gemini, consists of the SURGEON, EECOM, and CAPCOM. The SURGEON is the flight surgeon, a NASA-employed civilian doctor who monitors the health of the astronauts, although since the first flight of the Space Shuttle, this has not been done directly, except for EVA activities. The EECOM monitors the electrical and environmental systems on the spacecraft, while the CAPCOM ("Capsule Communicator"), generally an astronaut, serves as the "air-to-ground" communicator between the MCC and the space crew--no other controller can speak to the astronauts, except the SURGEON, if an emergency arises. Project Gemini insignia Project Gemini was the second human spaceflight program in which the United States of America sent humans into space, between Projects Mercury and Apollo, during the years 1963-1966. ... Flight controller: a space flight control room position at NASAs Mission Control Center. ... Flight controller: a space flight control room position at NASAs Mission Control Center. ... Flight controller: a space flight control room position at NASAs Mission Control Center. ... The Space Shuttle Columbia seconds after engine ignition, 1981 (NASA). ...

On the other side of the "aisle" of the second row, are controllers who monitor specific parts of Apollo, Skylab, and the Space Shuttle. During the lunar flights, the TELMU and CONTROL controllers monitored the Apollo lunar module. During Skylab, the EGIL (pronounced "eagle") monitored the Skylab's solar panels, while the EXPERIMENTS controller monitored experiments and the telescopes in the Apollo Telescope Mount. Currently, the PAYLOAD and EXPERIMENTS controllers monitor Space Shuttle operations. Another controller, the INCO, monitors the communications and instrumentation on the spacecraft. Flight controller: a space flight control room position at NASAs Mission Control Center. ... Flight controller: a space flight control room position at NASAs Mission Control Center. ... Flight controller: a space flight control room position at NASAs Mission Control Center. ...

The third row consists of the PAO (Public Affairs Officer), PROCEDURES (who coordinates with launch teams, writes the countdowns and "go-no go" conditions), FAO (flight activities officer, who coordinates with the flight schedule), AFD (assistant flight director), and FLIGHT—the Flight Director, the "boss" of the entire mission operations. FLIGHT was first filled by Dr. Christopher Kraft, and later by Eugene Kranz, Dr. Glynn Lunney, Gerald Griffin, and others who followed. Flight controller: a space flight control room position at NASAs Mission Control Center. ... Flight controller: a space flight control room position at NASAs Mission Control Center. ... Flight controller: a space flight control room position at NASAs Mission Control Center. ... Christopher Columbus Kraft, Jr. ... Gene Kranz, uncharacteristically wearing a dark vest (courtesy of NASA) Eugene F. Gene Kranz (17 August 1933–) is a former NASA flight director. ... Gerald Griffin (December 12, 1803 - June 12, 1840) was an Irish dramatist, novelist and poet. ...

The fourth row has consoles for NASA management, including the Director of the Johnson Space Center, the Director of Flight Crew Operations (chief astronaut—first held by Donald K. "Deke" Slayton), and the Department of Defense officer, who coordinates with active duty and reserve components in any search and rescue or recovery operations in the case of an abort. Deke Slayton prepares for a pre-mission test leading up to his Apollo-Soyuz flight Donald K. Deke Slayton (March 1, 1924–June 13, 1993) was an American astronaut. ...

The old MCC, now registered on the National List of Historic Places, and consisting of two identical control rooms, was replaced in 1997 with a new MCC, which has two large rooms for Shuttle flights, and a smaller size auditorium for International Space Station operations. Both are identical in operations, except that the ISS MOCR has fewer controllers. ISS Statistics Crew: 2 As of August 21, 2005 Perigee: 352. ...

See also

• Flight controller
• Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
• Manned Space Programs
• Project Apollo
• Space Shuttle program
• Jet Propulsion Laboratory