Real world How mission control works
At NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Mission Control has guided human spaceflights since the Gemini program in the 1960s, including the Apollo Moon landings. Each console is staffed by a specialist responsible for one system, such as power, life support or communications, and a flight director leads the team. The space station is watched over 24 hours a day.
Mission Control famously helped save the crew of Apollo 13 in 1970, after an oxygen tank exploded on the way to the Moon, by working out how to use the lunar module as a lifeboat.
Real world Changing roles far from Earth
Near Earth, Mission Control can talk to the crew almost instantly. On Mars missions, with delays of up to about 20 minutes each way, ground teams cannot respond in an emergency in time. Crews will need to make many decisions themselves, with Mission Control acting more like a support team.
Possible future Building and running it
A future control center would need reliable power, backup sites in case of disaster, secure computer networks and staff who work in shifts. Simulations, where teams practice emergencies again and again, are a key part of the job.
Art In this artwork
This illustration shows a tall tower with screens and a glowing globe. Here we imagine it as a mission control center.
Look closer
- Find the glowing globe display.
- How many floors of consoles might there be?
Think about it
- What makes a team work well under pressure?
- Why do flight controllers practice emergencies so often?
- How should decisions be shared between a crew and Mission Control?
Key words
- Flight director
- The leader of a mission control team.
- Console
- A workstation with screens and controls.
- Simulation
- A practice exercise that imitates a real situation.
Sources
The real-world facts on this page are based on these sources:
- NASA, history of Mission Control at Johnson Space Center, Houston
- NASA, "Apollo 13" mission history
