Flight controller - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Flight controllers are personnel who aid in the operations of a space flight, working in Mission Control Centers such as NASA

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...

's Mission Control Center

Mission Control Center

A mission control center is an entity that manages aerospace vehicle flights, usually from the point of lift-off until the landing or the end of the mission. A staff of flight controllers and other support personnel monitor all aspects of the mission using telemetry, and send commands to the...

, or ESA's Operations Center

European Space Operations Centre

The European Space Operations Centre is responsible for controlling ESA satellites and space probes. The centre is located in Darmstadt, Germany. It is Mission Control for most of the space projects of the ESA. Since its creation in 1967, the centre has operated 60 European space missions...

. Flight controllers sit at computer consoles and use telemetry

Telemetry

Telemetry is a technology that allows measurements to be made at a distance, usually via radio wave transmission and reception of the information. The word is derived from Greek roots: tele = remote, and metron = measure...

to monitor in real time various technical aspects of a space mission. Each controller is an expert in a specific area, and is in constant communication with additional experts in the "back room". The Flight Director is the lead flight controller, monitors the activities of others and has overall responsibility for the mission success and safety. A Flight Director leads a team, designated by a team name, frequently a color, constellation or stone (e.g., Eugene F. Kranz

Eugene F. Kranz

Kranz's book, titled Failure Is Not an Option, published five years after the movie, stated, "...a creed that we all lived by: "Failure is not an option."" . The book has three index references for the phrase, but none of those give any indication of the phrase being apocryphal...

led the White Team, and was known as "White Flight").

NASA's Flight Controllers

The room where the flight controllers work was called the Mission Operations Control Room (MOCR, pronounced "moh-ker"), and now is called the Flight Control Room (FCR, pronounced "ficker"). The controllers are experts in individual systems, and make recommendations to the Flight Director involving their areas of responsibility. Any controller may call for an abort

Abort (computing)

In a computer or data transmission system, to abort means to terminate, usually in a controlled manner, a processing activity because it is impossible or undesirable for the activity to proceed. Such an action may be accompanied by diagnostic information on the aborted process.In addition to being...

if the circumstances require it. Before significant events, the Flight Director will "go around the room," polling each controller for a GO / NO-GO decision, a procedure also known as a launch status check

Launch status check

A launch status check, also known as a "go/no go poll" and several other terms occurs at the beginning of an American spaceflight mission in which flight controllers monitoring various systems are queried for operation and readiness status before a launch can proceed...

. If all factors are good, each controller calls for a GO, but if there is a problem requiring a hold or an abort, the call is NO GO. Another form of this is STAY / NO STAY, when the spacecraft has completed a maneuver and has now "parked" in relation to another body, including spacecraft (or space stations), orbiting the Earth or the Moon, or the Lunar landings.

Controllers in MOCR/FCR are supported by the "backrooms," teams of flight controllers located in other parts of the building or even at remote facilities. The backroom was formally called the Staff Support Room (SSR), and is now called the Multi-Purpose Support Room (MPSR, pronounced "mipser"). Backroom flight controllers are responsible for the details of their assigned system and for making recommendations for actions needed for that system. "Frontroom" flight controllers are responsible for integrating the needs of their system into the larger needs of the vehicle and working with the rest of the flight control team to develop a cohesive plan of action, even if that plan is not necessarily in the best interests of the system they are responsible for. Within the chain of command of the MCC, information and recommendations flow from the backroom to the frontroom to FLIGHT and then, potentially, to the onboard crew. Generally, a MOCR/FCR flight control team is made up of the more seasoned flight controllers than the SSR/MPSR, though senior flight controllers cycle back to support in the backroom periodically. One example of the usefulness of this system occurred during the descent of the Eagle

Apollo 11

In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...

Lunar Module, when "1202" and "1201" program alarms came from the LM. GUIDO Steve Bales

Steve Bales

Steve Bales is a former NASA engineer and flight controller. He is best known for his role during the Apollo 11 lunar landing.-Early life:Bales was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, and grew up in the nearby town of Fremont. His father was a school janitor and his mother was a beautician...

, not sure whether to call for an abort, trusted the experts in the Guidance backroom, especially Jack Garman

Jack Garman

John R. "Jack" Garman is a computer engineer, former senior NASA executive and a noted key figure of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. As a young specialist on duty during the final descent stage on 20 July 1969 he dealt with a series of computer alarms which could have caused the mission to be...

, who told him that the problem was a computer overload, but could be ignored if it was intermittent. Bales called "GO!," Flight Director Kranz accepted the call and the mission continued to success. Without the support of the backroom, a controller might make a "bad call" based on faulty memory or information not readily available to the person on the console. The nature of quiescent operations aboard the International Space Station (ISS) today is such that the full team is not required for 24/7/365 support. FCR flight controllers accept responsibility for operations without MPSR support most of the time, and the MPSR is only staffed for high-intensity periods of activity, such as joint Shuttle/ISS missions.

The flight controllers in the FCR and MPSR are further supported by hardware and software designers, analysts and engineering specialists in other parts of the building or remote facilities. These extended support teams have more detailed analysis tools and access to development and test data that is not readily accessible to the flight control team. These support teams were referred to by the name of their room in Mission Control, the Mission Operations Integration Room (MOIR) and are now collectively referred to by the name of their current location, the Mission Evaluation Room (MER). While the flight controllers and their backrooms are responsible for real-time decision-making, The MOIR/MER provides the detailed data and history needed to solve longer-term issues.

Unmanned U.S. space missions also have flight controllers but are managed from separate organizations, either the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center and NASA field center located in the San Gabriel Valley area of Los Angeles County, California, United States. The facility is headquartered in the city of Pasadena on the border of La Cañada Flintridge and Pasadena...

or the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

Applied Physics Laboratory

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory , located in Howard County, Maryland near Laurel and Columbia, is a not-for-profit, university-affiliated research center employing 4,500 people. APL is primarily a defense contractor. It serves as a technical resource for the Department of...

for deep-space missions or Goddard Space Flight Center

Goddard Space Flight Center

The Goddard Space Flight Center is a major NASA space research laboratory established on May 1, 1959 as NASA's first space flight center. GSFC employs approximately 10,000 civil servants and contractors, and is located approximately northeast of Washington, D.C. in Greenbelt, Maryland, USA. GSFC,...

for near-Earth missions.

Each flight controller has a unique call sign

Call sign

In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...

, which describes the position's responsibilities. The call sign and responsibility refer to the particular console, not just the person, since missions are managed around the clock and with each shift change a different person takes over the console.

Flight controller responsibilities have changed over time, and continue to evolve. New controllers are added, and tasks are reassigned to other controllers to keep up with changing technical systems. For example the EECOM handled Command and Service Module

Apollo Command/Service Module

The Command/Service Module was one of two spacecraft, along with the Lunar Module, used for the United States Apollo program which landed astronauts on the Moon. It was built for NASA by North American Aviation...

communication systems through Apollo 10

Apollo 10

Apollo 10 was the fourth manned mission in the American Apollo space program. It was an F type mission—its purpose was to be a "dry run" for the Apollo 11 mission, testing all of the procedures and components of a Moon landing without actually landing on the Moon itself. The mission included the...

, which was afterward assigned to a new position called INCO.

Shuttle and space station flight controllers

There are currently two groups of flight controllers at Johnson Space Center: the International Space Station

International Space Station

The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...

(ISS) flight controllers and the Space Shuttle

Space Shuttle

The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...

flight controllers.

The Space Shuttle flight controllers work relatively brief periods: The several minutes of ascent, the few days the vehicle is in orbit, and reentry. The duration of operations for Space Shuttle flight controllers is short and time-critical. A failure on the Shuttle could leave flight controllers little time for talking, putting pressure on them to respond quickly to potential failures. The Space Shuttle flight controllers generally have limited capability to send commands to the shuttle for system reconfigurations.

In contrast, the ISS flight controllers work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This allows the ISS flight controllers time to discuss off-nominal

Real versus nominal value

In economics, nominal value refers to a value expressed in money terms in a given year or series of years. By contrast, real value adjusts nominal value to remove effects of price changes over time...

telemetry. The ISS flight controllers have the opportunity to interface with many groups and engineering experts. The mentality of an ISS flight controller is to preempt a failure. Telemetry is closely monitored for any signatures that may begin to indicate future catastrophic failures. Generally, ISS flight controllers take a prophylactic approach to space vehicle operations. There are command capabilities that ISS flight controllers use to preclude a potential failure.

Responsibility

Flight controllers are responsible for the success of the mission and for the lives of the astronauts under their watch. The Flight Controllers' Creed states that they must "always be aware that suddenly and unexpectedly [they] may find ourselves in a role where [their] performance has ultimate consequences". Well-known actions taken by flight controllers include the following:

During the Apollo 11
Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...

moon landing, the Lunar Module guidance computer began giving errors which threatened to abort the landing. Guidance officer Steve Bales
Steve Bales
Steve Bales is a former NASA engineer and flight controller. He is best known for his role during the Apollo 11 lunar landing.-Early life:Bales was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, and grew up in the nearby town of Fremont. His father was a school janitor and his mother was a beautician...

had only a few seconds to determine it was safe to proceed, which saved the mission. Bales was later honored for his role in the mission, when he was selected to accept the NASA Group Achievement Award from President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...

on behalf of the Apollo 11
Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...

mission operations team.

During the launch of Apollo 12
Apollo 12
Apollo 12 was the sixth manned flight in the American Apollo program and the second to land on the Moon . It was launched on November 14, 1969 from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, four months after Apollo 11. Mission commander Charles "Pete" Conrad and Lunar Module Pilot Alan L...

, the Saturn V
Saturn V
The Saturn V was an American human-rated expendable rocket used by NASA's Apollo and Skylab programs from 1967 until 1973. A multistage liquid-fueled launch vehicle, NASA launched 13 Saturn Vs from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida with no loss of crew or payload...

was struck by lightning which knocked out all telemetry
Telemetry
Telemetry is a technology that allows measurements to be made at a distance, usually via radio wave transmission and reception of the information. The word is derived from Greek roots: tele = remote, and metron = measure...

and the Apollo guidance unit. This would probably have aborted the mission if EECOM controller John Aaron
John Aaron
John W. Aaron is a former NASA engineer, and was a flight controller during the Apollo program. He is widely credited with saving the Apollo 12 mission when it was struck by lightning shortly after liftoff and played an important role during the Apollo 13 crisis, earning him the highly...

had not quickly determined that an obscure cockpit switch (controlling telemetry sources) could fix the problem.

During space shuttle mission STS-51-F
STS-51-F
STS-51-F was the nineteenth flight of NASA's Space Shuttle program, and the eighth flight of Space Shuttle Challenger...

, a main engine
Space Shuttle main engine
The RS-25, otherwise known as the Space Shuttle Main Engine , is a reusable liquid-fuel rocket engine built by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne for the Space Shuttle, running on liquid hydrogen and oxygen. Each Space Shuttle was propelled by three SSMEs mated to one powerhead...

failed during ascent to orbit. Subsequently, indications were received of a second engine beginning to fail. If it failed it would cause an emergency landing in Spain
Space Shuttle abort modes
A Space Shuttle abort was an emergency procedure due to equipment failure on NASA's Space Shuttle, most commonly during ascent. A main engine failure is a typical abort scenario. There are fewer abort options during reentry and descent...

, or could possibly cause the shuttle to ditch in the ocean. Booster officer Jenny Howard Stein determined within seconds that the anomalous readings on the second engine were a sensor error and not an engine problem. At her direction the crew inhibited the sensor, which saved the mission and possibly the crew.

Common flight control positions

There are some positions that have and will serve the same function in every vehicle's Flight Control team. The group of individuals serving in those positions may be different, but they will be called the same thing and serve the same function.

Flight Director (FLIGHT)

Leads the flight control team. Flight has overall operational responsibility for missions and payload operations and for all decisions regarding safe, expedient flight. This person monitors the other flight controllers, remaining in constant verbal communication with them via intercom channels called "loops".

Mission Operations Directorate (MOD)

Is a representative of the senior management chain at JSC, and is there to help the flight director make those decisions that have no safety-of-flight consequences, but may have cost or public perception consequences. The MOD cannot overrule the Flight Director during a mission.

Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM)

Generally, only the Capsule Communicator communicates directly with the crew of a manned space flight. During much of the U.S. manned space program

Human spaceflight

Human spaceflight is spaceflight with humans on the spacecraft. When a spacecraft is manned, it can be piloted directly, as opposed to machine or robotic space probes and remotely-controlled satellites....

, NASA

NASA

felt it important for all communication with the astronaut

Astronaut

An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....

s in space to pass through a single individual in the Mission Control Center

Mission Control Center

. That role was designated the Capsule Communicator or CAPCOM and was filled by another astronaut, often one of the backup- or support-crew members. NASA believes that an astronaut is most able to understand the situation in the spacecraft and pass information in the clearest way.

For long-duration missions there is more than one CAPCOM, each assigned to a different shift team. After control of U.S. spaceflights moved to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's center for human spaceflight training, research and flight control. The center consists of a complex of 100 buildings constructed on 1,620 acres in Houston, Texas, USA...

in the early 1960s, each CAPCOM used the radio call-sign

Call sign

In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...

Houston. When non-astronauts are communicating directly with the spacecraft, CAPCOM acts as the communications controller.

, non-astronauts from the Space Flight Training branch also function as CAPCOM during ISS missions, while the role was filled solely by astronauts for shuttle missions.

Flight Surgeon (SURGEON)

Directs all operational medical activities concerned with the mission, including the status of the flight crew. Monitors crew health, provides crew consultation, and advises flight director of the crew's health status. A direct communications loop can be established between the mission astronauts and the flight surgeon, in accordance with doctor-patient confidentiality.

Public Affairs Officer (PAO)

Provides mission commentary to supplement and explain air-to-ground transmissions and flight control operations to the news media and the public. The individual filling this role is often referred to colloquially as The Voice of Mission Control.

Apollo flight control positions

The flight control positions used during the Apollo era were predominantly identical to the positions used for the Mercury and Gemini vehicles. This was because of the similarity of the vehicle design of the capsules used for the three programs.

Booster Systems Engineer (BOOSTER)

Monitored and evaluated performance of propulsion-related aspects of the launch vehicle during prelaunch and ascent. During the Apollo program there were three Booster positions, who worked only until Trans Lunar Injection (TLI)

Trans Lunar Injection

A Trans Lunar Injection is a propulsive maneuver used to set a spacecraft on a trajectory which will arrive at the Moon.Typical lunar transfer trajectories approximate Hohmann transfers, although low energy transfers have also been used in some cases, as with the Hiten probe...

; after that, their consoles were vacated. Booster had the power to send an abort command to the spacecraft. All Booster technicians were employed at the Marshall Space Flight Center

Marshall Space Flight Center

The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center is the U.S. government's civilian rocketry and spacecraft propulsion research center. The largest center of NASA, MSFC's first mission was developing the Saturn launch vehicles for the Apollo moon program...

and reported to JSC for the launches.

Control Officer (CONTROL)

Responsible for the Lunar Module guidance, navigation and control systems. Essentially the equivalent of the GNC for the Lunar Module.

Electrical, Environmental and Consumables Manager (EECOM)

Monitored cryogenic levels for fuel cell

Fuel cell

A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. Hydrogen is the most common fuel, but hydrocarbons such as natural gas and alcohols like methanol are sometimes used...

s, and cabin cooling systems; electrical distribution systems; cabin pressure control systems; and vehicle lighting systems. EECOM originally stood for Electrical, Environmental and COMmunication systems. The Apollo

Project Apollo

The Apollo program was the spaceflight effort carried out by the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration , that landed the first humans on Earth's Moon. Conceived during the Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower, Apollo began in earnest after President John F...

EECOM was responsible for CSM communications through Apollo 10

Apollo 10

. Afterward the communication task was moved to a new console named INCO.

Perhaps the most famous NASA EECOMs are Seymour "Sy" Liebergot

Seymour Liebergot

Seymour "Sy" Abraham Liebergot is a retired NASA flight controller, serving during the Apollo program. Liebergot was an EECOM controller—he was responsible for the electrical and environmental systems on board the Command Module...

, the EECOM on duty at the time of the oxygen tank explosion on Apollo 13

Apollo 13

Apollo 13 was the seventh manned mission in the American Apollo space program and the third intended to land on the Moon. The craft was launched on April 11, 1970, at 13:13 CST. The landing was aborted after an oxygen tank exploded two days later, crippling the service module upon which the Command...

and John Aaron

John Aaron

John W. Aaron is a former NASA engineer, and was a flight controller during the Apollo program. He is widely credited with saving the Apollo 12 mission when it was struck by lightning shortly after liftoff and played an important role during the Apollo 13 crisis, earning him the highly...

, who is credited with saving the Apollo 12

Apollo 12

Apollo 12 was the sixth manned flight in the American Apollo program and the second to land on the Moon . It was launched on November 14, 1969 from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, four months after Apollo 11. Mission commander Charles "Pete" Conrad and Lunar Module Pilot Alan L...

mission after the spacecraft was struck by lightning during launch.

Flight Activities Officer (FAO)

Planned and supported crew activities, checklists, procedures and schedules.

Flight Dynamics Officer (FDO or FIDO)

Responsible for the flight path of the space vehicle, both atmospheric and orbital

Orbital spaceflight

An orbital spaceflight is a spaceflight in which a spacecraft is placed on a trajectory where it could remain in space for at least one orbit. To do this around the Earth, it must be on a free trajectory which has an altitude at perigee above...

. During lunar missions the FDO was also responsible for the lunar trajectory

Trajectory

A trajectory is the path that a moving object follows through space as a function of time. The object might be a projectile or a satellite, for example. It thus includes the meaning of orbit—the path of a planet, an asteroid or a comet as it travels around a central mass...

. The FDO monitored vehicle performance during the powered flight phase and assessed abort modes, calculated orbital maneuvers and resulting trajectories, and monitored vehicle flight profile and energy levels during re-entry

Re-Entry

"Re-Entry" was the second album released by UK R&B / Hip Hop collective Big Brovaz. After the album was delayed in May 2006, the band finally release the follow-up to "Nu Flow" on 9 April 2007...

Guidance Officer (GUIDANCE or GUIDO)

Monitored onboard navigational systems

Apollo PGNCS

The Apollo Primary Guidance, Navigation and Control System was a self-contained inertial guidance system that allowed Apollo spacecraft to carry out their missions when communications with Earth were interrupted, either as expected, when the spacecraft were behind the moon, or in case of a...

and onboard guidance computer

Apollo Guidance Computer

The Apollo Guidance Computer provided onboard computation and control for guidance, navigation, and control of the Command Module and Lunar Module spacecraft of the Apollo program...

software. Responsible for determining the position of the spacecraft in space. One well-known Guidance officer was Steve Bales

Steve Bales

, who gave the go call when the Apollo 11

Apollo 11

guidance computer

Apollo Guidance Computer

The Apollo Guidance Computer provided onboard computation and control for guidance, navigation, and control of the Command Module and Lunar Module spacecraft of the Apollo program...

came close to overloading during the first lunar descent.

Guidance, Navigation, and Controls Systems Engineer (GNC)

Monitored all vehicle guidance, navigation and control systems. Also responsible for propulsion systems such as the Reaction and Control System (RCS) and the CSM main engine.

Integrated Communications Officer (INCO)

Responsible for all data, voice and video communications systems, including monitoring the configuration of in-flight communications and instrumentation

Instrumentation

Instrumentation is defined as the art and science of measurement and control of process variables within a production, or manufacturing area....

systems. Duties also included monitoring the telemetry

Telemetry

link between the vehicle and the ground, and overseeing the uplink

Uplink

A telecommunications link is generally one of several types of information transmission paths such as those provided by communication satellites to connect two points on earth.-Uplink:...

command and control processes. The position was formed from the combination of LEM and CSM Communicator positions.

Network (NETWORK)

Supervised the network of ground stations that relayed telemetry and communications from the spacecraft.

Organization and Procedures Officer (O&P)

Supervised the application of mission rules and established techniques to the conduct of the flight.

Retrofire Officer (RETRO)

Drew up abort plans and was responsible for determination of retrofire

Retrorocket

A retrorocket is a rocket engine providing thrust opposing the motion of a spacecraft, thereby causing it to decelerate.-History:...

times. During lunar missions the RETRO planned and monitored Trans Earth Injection (TEI) maneuvers, where the Apollo Service Module

Apollo Command/Service Module

fired its engine to return to earth from the moon.

Telemetry, Electrical, EVA Mobility Unit Officer (TELMU)

Monitored the Lunar Module electrical and environmental systems, plus lunar astronaut spacesuits. Essentially the equivalent of the EECOM for the Lunar Module.

Shuttle flight control positions

Many Apollo program mission control positions were carried forward to the space shuttle program. However, other positions were eliminated or redefined, and new positions were added.

Positions remaining generally the same:

Booster
FAO
FDO
Guidance (became Guidance and Procedures Officer, or GPO)
GNC
INCO (became Instrumentation and Communications Officer)

Positions eliminated or modified:

RETRO
EECOM (duties split up)
TELMU
CONTROL

Assembly and Checkout Officer (ACO)

Responsible for all shuttle-based activities related to construction and operation of the Space Station, including logistics and transfer items stored in a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) or Spacehab

SPACEHAB

Astrotech Corporation , formerly Spacehab Inc., is an aerospace company headquartered in Austin, Texas which provides commercial space products and services to NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense, international space agencies, and global commercial customers...

. Also responsible for all shuttle payloads, from Spacehab to the Hubble Space Telescope

Hubble Space Telescope

The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by a Space Shuttle in 1990 and remains in operation. A 2.4 meter aperture telescope in low Earth orbit, Hubble's four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared...

to deployable satellites. ACO was formerly known as PAYLOADS.

Booster Systems Engineer (BOOSTER)

Monitors and evaluated performance of propulsion-related aspects of the launch vehicle during prelaunch and ascent, including the main engines and solid rocket boosters.

Data Processing System Engineer (DPS)

Responsible for data processing systems in a space flight. This includes monitoring the onboard General Purpose Computers (GPCs), flight-critical, launch and payload data buses, the Multi-function Electronic Display System (MEDS), Solid-State Mass Memory (SSMM) units, flight critical and payload Multiplexer/De-multiplexer (MDM) units, Master Timing Unit (MTU), Backup Flight Control (BFC) units and system-level software.

The space shuttle general purpose computers are a critical subsystem, and the vehicle cannot fly without them.

Emergency, Environmental, and Consumables Management (EECOM)

EECOM's revamped shuttle responsibilities include the atmospheric pressure control and revitalization systems, the cooling systems (air, water, and freon), and the supply/waste water system.

MPSR positions

Life Support - monitors atmospheric pressure control systems, O2/N2/CO2 maintenance and management, air cooling equipment, waste water systems,
Thermal - monitors water and refrigerant coolant loop systems, supply water maintenance

EECOM's critical function is to maintain the systems, such as atmosphere and thermal control, that keep the crew alive.

Electrical Generation and Integrated Lighting Systems Engineer (EGIL)

Monitors cryogenic levels for the fuel cells, electrical generation and distribution systems on the spacecraft, and vehicle lighting. This is a portion of the job formerly done by EECOM.

MPSR positions

EPS - provides expert support monitoring of the fuel cells, cryo system, and electrical bus system

Extravehicular Activity Officer (EVA)

Responsible for all spacesuit and spacewalking-related tasks, equipment and plans when the EVA takes place from the shuttle.

Flight Activities Officer (FAO)

Plans and supports crew activities, checklists, procedures, schedules, attitude maneuvers and timelines.

MPSR Positions -

•Attitude and Pointing Officer (Pointing) – Generates and maintains the Attitude Timeline, Monitors the executions of all attitude maneuvers, provides attitude maneuver inputs for the crew, generates star pairs and attitudes for IMU aligns

•Message and Timeline Support (MATS) – Creates messages based on MCC inputs, Creates the Execute Package, Monitors crew activities and assesses impacts to the Timeline

•Orbital Communications Officer (OCA) – Transfers electronic messages to the crew, Syncs the crews E-Mail, Uplinks and downlinks files for the crew

•Timeline – Generates the pre-flight timelines for the Flight Plan, Monitors in-flight crew activities, coordinates activities with other flight controllers

Flight Dynamics Officer (FDO or FIDO)

Responsible for the flight path of the space shuttle, both atmospheric and orbital

Orbital spaceflight

. FDO monitors vehicle performance during the powered flight phase and assesses abort modes, calculates orbital maneuvers and resulting trajectories, and monitors vehicle flight profile and energy levels during re-entry

Re-Entry

"Re-Entry" was the second album released by UK R&B / Hip Hop collective Big Brovaz. After the album was delayed in May 2006, the band finally release the follow-up to "Nu Flow" on 9 April 2007...

.

MPSR positions

Abort Support (ascent only) - provides expert support during the powered flight portion of an RTLS or TAL
ARD Support (ascent only) - maintains the Abort Region Determinator processor which is used to predict trajectory capabilities during powered flight
Ascent Support team (ascent only) - monitor the winds and weather at the launch site, help compute day-of-launch updates
Dynamics - maintains the inputs to the Mission Operation Computer for all processors
Entry Console - provides expert support for entry, approach, and landing
Entry Support team (ascent and entry) - monitor the winds and weather at the various potential landing sites, prepare trajectory adjustments
Landing Support Officer (LSO) team - maintain the airspace at any landing site, dispatch Search and Rescue teams if needed, act as first liaison in case of a landing outside the US
Nav Support team - responsible for maintaining the on-board navigation (telemetry) and the ground navigation (tracking)
Profile Support (rendezvous only) - assists the FDO with rendezvous profile evaluation and determination
Range Safety team (ascent only) - track the falling External Tank and Solid Rocket Boosters
Targeting (ascent only) - provides expert support for Abort to Orbit (ATO) or Abort Once Around (AOA) trajectories
Track - coordinates tracking site data flow and data requests
Weather - a member of the Spaceflight Meteorology Group who provides worldwide weather data

External links

Former FDO Roger Balettie
Orbit/Rendezvous FDO Operational Overview
Current FDO Chris Edelen
Former Targeting Michael Grabois, behind the scenes at a launch from the MPSR

Ground Controller (GC)

Directs maintenance and operation activities affecting Mission Control hardware, software and support facilities; coordinates space flight tracking and data network, and Tracking and Data Relay Satellite

Tracking and Data Relay Satellite

A Tracking and Data Relay Satellite is a type of communications satellite that forms part of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System used by NASA and other United States government agencies for communications to and from independent "User Platforms" such as satellites, balloons, aircraft,...

system with Goddard Space Flight Center

Goddard Space Flight Center

Guidance, Navigation, and Controls Systems Engineer (GNC)

Monitors all shuttle guidance, navigation and control systems.

MPSR positions:
GNC Support: Provides support to the Orbit GNC officer during the orbit phase of flight.

Control: Provides support to the Ascent/Entry GNC officer during those phases of flight.

Sensors: Provides support to the Ascent/Entry GNC officer during those phases of flight.

Instrumentation and Communications Officer (INCO)

Responsible for all data, voice and video communications systems, including monitoring the configuration of in-flight communications and instrumentation systems. Duties also included monitoring the telemetry link between the vehicle and the ground, and overseeing the uplink command and control processes. This position is a direct evolution of the Integrated Communications Officer from the Apollo program.

Mechanical, Maintenance, Arm, and Crew Systems (MMACS)

Responsible for space shuttle

Space Shuttle program

NASA's Space Shuttle program, officially called Space Transportation System , was the United States government's manned launch vehicle program from 1981 to 2011...

structural and mechanical systems, monitoring auxiliary power unit

Auxiliary power unit

An auxiliary power unit is a device on a vehicle that provides energy for functions other than propulsion. They are commonly found on large aircraft, as well as some large land vehicles.-Function:...

s and hydraulic systems, managing payload bay door, external tank umbilical door, vent door, radiator deploy/stow, Ku-band antenna deploy/stow, and payload retention latch operations, landing gear/deceleration systems (landing gear deploy, tires, brakes/antiskid, and drag chute deploy), and monitoring the orbiter docking system. MMACS also follows use of onboard crew hardware and in-flight equipment maintenance. This represents another portion of the job formerly done by EECOM, with additional responsibilities added by the specific requirements of space shuttle operations. The MMACS officer serves as the point of contact for PDRS, Booster, and EVA during periods in a mission when these positions do not require constant staffing.

MPSR positions

MECH - provides expert support monitoring of mechanical, hydraulic, and landing gear systems
MECH 2 - provides extra support during the dynamic ascent and entry phases of flight
IFM - In-Flight Maintenance support
Crew Systems/Escape - responsible for operations of onboard crew hardware and the crew's Launch and Entry Suits
Photo/TV - responsible for the "loose" camera operation and maintenance, such as still cameras and camcorders, and the integration of video into and out of the orbiter's TV monitors

Payload Deployment and Retrieval System (PDRS)

Responsible for space shuttle

Space Shuttle program

NASA's Space Shuttle program, officially called Space Transportation System , was the United States government's manned launch vehicle program from 1981 to 2011...

remote manipulator system, also known as the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) or "robot arm".

Propulsion Engineer (PROP)

Manages the reaction control

Reaction control system

A reaction control system is a subsystem of a spacecraft whose purpose is attitude control and steering by the use of thrusters. An RCS system is capable of providing small amounts of thrust in any desired direction or combination of directions. An RCS is also capable of providing torque to allow...

thrusters and orbital maneuvering engines during all phases of flight, monitors fuel usage and propellant tank status, and calculates optimal sequences for thruster firings.

Rendezvous (RNDZ)

Responsible for activities such as trajectory operations related to the rendezvous and docking/capture with another spacecraft, including Mir

Mir

Mir was a space station operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, at first by the Soviet Union and then by Russia. Assembled in orbit from 1986 to 1996, Mir was the first modular space station and had a greater mass than that of any previous spacecraft, holding the record for the...

, the ISS, and satellites such as the Hubble Space Telescope.

Trajectory Officer (TRAJ)

Assists the FDO during time-critical operations, responsible for maintaining the various processors that help determine the shuttle's current and potential trajectories. A FDO is certified as a TRAJ first. Shares the FCR with FDO.

Transoceanic Abort Landing Communicator (TALCOM)

Should an emergency occur, such as loss of one or more main engine, during a Space Shuttle launch, requiring the shuttle to land at one of the contingency landing site

Space Shuttle abort modes

A Space Shuttle abort was an emergency procedure due to equipment failure on NASA's Space Shuttle, most commonly during ascent. A main engine failure is a typical abort scenario. There are fewer abort options during reentry and descent...

s in Africa, Europe or the Middle East, TALCOM would assume the role of CAPCOM providing communications with astronauts aboard the crippled orbiter. Like CAPCOM, the TALCOM role is filled by an astronaut. Three astronauts are deployed to the alternate landing sites in Zaragoza Air Base

Zaragoza Air Base

Zaragoza Air Base was a NATO military airbase located near Zaragoza, Spain. It was located west of Zaragoza, west of Barcelona, and northeast of Madrid.It was closed as a NATO base in in April 1992...

and Moron Air Base

Morón Air Base

Morón Air Base is located at in southern Spain, approximately southeast of the city of Seville and northeast of Naval Station Rota. The base gets its name from the nearby town of Morón de la Frontera - although its is actually located in the municipality of Arahal.Morón's massive flight line,...

in Spain, and Istres Air Base

Istres Air Base

Istres-Le Tubé Air Base is a large multi-role tasked French Air Force base located near Istres, northwest of Marseille, France. The airport facilities are also known as Istres - Le Tubé .- Armée de l'air :...

in France. These astronauts fly aboard weather reconnaissance aircraft to provide support at the selected landing site.

ISS flight control positions

The International Space Station flight control positions used by NASA in Houston are different than those used by previous NASA programs. These differences exist primarily to stem the potential confusion that might otherwise follow from conflicting use of the same name in two different rooms during the same operations, such as when the space shuttle is conducting mated operations with the space station. There are also differences in the control positions because of differences in the operation of the two. The following is a list of those flight controllers located in Mission Control Center - Houston. There are several other control centers which house dozens of other flight controllers that support the vastly complex vehicle.

Positions eliminated or modified:

CIO (Cargo Integration Officer) - Former front room position that answered for ISO and PLUTO
Assembly and Checkout Officer (ACO) - Retired position at end of shuttle. Was responsible for the integration of assembly and activation tasks for all ISS systems and elements. Coordinated with station and shuttle flight controllers on the execution of these operations. Was also the front room position to ACO Transfer who was responsible for the exchange of cargo between the shuttle and the ISS.

Attitude Determination and Control Officer (ADCO)

Works in partnership with Russian controllers to determine and manage the station’s orientation, controlled by the onboard Motion Control Systems. This position also plans and calculates future orientations and maneuvers for the station and is responsible for docking the ISS with other vehicles.

MPSR positions

HawkI - Pronounced (Hawk-eye) - provides expert support monitoring of all US GNC systems, leaving the ADCO to coordinate with other flight controllers and MCC-M. Hawki is actually a strung-together set of common engineering abbreviations for quantities that affect or reflect ISS attitude, primarily chosen because they fit well enough to make a name:
- H - Momentum. The ISS attitude control algorithm uses momentum exchange through each orbit to minimize propellant usage.
- a - attitude.
- ω - angular velocity.
- k - kinetic energy.
- I - moment of inertia.

Communication and Tracking Officer (CATO)

Responsible for management and operations of the U.S. communication systems, including audio, video, telemetry and commanding systems.

Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS)

Responsible for the assembly and operation of systems related to atmosphere control and supply, atmosphere revitalization, cabin air temperature and humidity control, circulation, fire detection and suppression, water collection and processing and crew hygiene equipment, among other areas.

Extravehicular Activity Officer (EVA)

Responsible for all spacesuit and spacewalking-related tasks, equipment and plans when the EVA takes place from the ISS.

Onboard, Data, Interfaces and Networks (ODIN)

Responsible for the U.S. Command and Data Handling System, including hardware, software, networks, and interfaces with International Partner avionics systems.

Operations Planner (OPSPLAN)

Leads the coordination, development and maintenance of the station's short-term plan, including crew and ground activities. The plan includes the production and uplink of the onboard station plan and the coordination and maintenance of the onboard inventory and stowage listings.

MPSR Positions:

Real Time Planning Engineer (RPE)

Real Time Planning Engineer Support (RPE-Support)

Orbital Communications Adapter Officer (OCA)

Onboard Data File and Procedures Officer (ODF)

Operations Support Officer (OSO)

Charged with those logistics support functions that address on-orbit maintenance, support data and documentation, logistics information systems, maintenance data collection and maintenance analysis. The OSO is also responsible for mechanical systems—such as those used to attach new modules or truss sections to the vehicle during assembly.

Power, Heating, Articulation, Lighting Control Officer (PHALCON)

Manages the power generation, storage, and power distribution capabilities.

Remote Interface Officer (RIO)

Formerly known as the Russian Interface Officer. Responsible for integrating operations between MCC-Houston (MCC-H) and the other International Partner (IP) Control Centers. RIO is a FCR-1 position in MCC-Houston and works closely in conjunction with the Houston Support Group (HSG) teams located at the IP Control Centers:

HSG-Moscow (HSG-M): Team of NASA Flight Controllers working with Russian Flight Controllers at MCC-Moscow (MCC-M). Responsible for integrating operations between MCC-H and MCC-M. HSG-M also has taken over operations of the US segment of ISS during Hurricanes Lili and Rita.
HSG-Columbus (HSG-C): Small team of NASA Flight Controllers that were responsible for integrating MCC-H and Columbus Control Center (COL-CC) operations at Oberpfaffenhofen, near Munich, Germany. Following completion of Columbus commissioning in August 2008, this team discontinued operations.
HSG-ATV (HSG-A): Small team of NASA Flight Controllers responsible for integrating MCC-H and Autonomous Transfer Vehicle (ATV) operations at ATV-CC near Toulouse, France.
HSG-Japan (HSG-J): Small team of NASA Flight Controllers responsible for integrating MCC-H and Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) and H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) operations at the Space Station Integration and Promotions Center (SSIPC) at Tsukuba, Japan near Tokyo. This team discontinued permanent operations in October 2008, but afterwards did temporarily support the STS-127 and HTV-1 missions.

Robotics Operations Systems Officer (ROBO)

Responsible for the operations of the Canadian Mobile Servicing System, which includes a mobile base system, station robotic arm, station robotic hand or special purpose dexterous manipulator. (Call sign

Call sign

In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...

: ROBO) represents a joint Canadian Space Agency-NASA team of specialists to plan and execute robotic operations.

Thermal Operations and Resources (THOR)

Responsible for the assembly and operation of multiple station subsystems which collect, distribute, and reject waste heat from critical equipment and payloads.

Trajectory Operations Officer (TOPO)

Responsible for the station trajectory. The TOPO works in partnership with Russian controllers, ADCO, and the U.S. Space Command to maintain data regarding the station's orbital position. TOPO plans all station orbital maneuvers.

Visiting Vehicle Officer (VVO)

A specialist position, the VVO is the guidance and navigation liaison between the ISS and "visiting vehicles" such as Progress or Soyuz.

Integration Systems Engineer (ISE)

A specialist position, the ISE is the systems liaison between ISS and visiting vehicles that are berthed to the US side of ISS. This includes HTV, Dragon, and Cygnus. ISE works closely with VVO.

Inventory and Stowage Officer (ISO)

Responsible for the daily tracking and inventory of all US cargo on the ISS. ISO is the integrator for all cargo that is delivered to and from the ISS for ATV, HTV, Dragon, and Cygnus vehicles.

Plug-in Port UTilization Officer (PLUTO)

The name PLUTO is inherited from the flight controller's original role, which was to maintain and coordinate changes to the U.S. segment of the electrical Plug-in Plan (PiP). The PiP is the tracking of portable electronic equipment, making sure equipment connected is compatible and does not violate constraints, and will not overdraw the power source. Along with this, PLUTO is responsible for maintaining the OPSLAN (Operations Local Area Network) and the JSL (Joint Station LAN). PLUTO has remote desktop administration and monitoring capability to the network from the ground. The PLUTO is also responsible for certain Station Developmental Test Objectives, or SDTOs during the mission. This includes programming the Wireless Instrumentation System (WIS) and also remote desktop commanding for ROBONAUT activities.

Space Centers and Mission Control Centers

Baikonur Cosmodrome
Baikonur Cosmodrome
The Baikonur Cosmodrome , also called Tyuratam, is the world's first and largest operational space launch facility. It is located in the desert steppe of Kazakhstan, about east of the Aral Sea, north of the Syr Darya river, near Tyuratam railway station, at 90 meters above sea level...

(control center for the Russian Federal Space Agency
Russian Federal Space Agency
The Russian Federal Space Agency , commonly called Roscosmos and abbreviated as FKA and RKA , is the government agency responsible for the Russian space science program and general aerospace research. It was previously the Russian Aviation and Space Agency .Headquarters of Roscosmos are located...

, Tyuratam
Tyuratam
Tyuratam is a station on the main Moscow to Tashkent railway, located in Kazakhstan. The name is a word in the Kazakh language and means "Töre's grave"; Töre, or more formally, Töre-Baba, was a noble, a descendant of Genghis Khan...

, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...

)
Mission Control Center
Mission Control Center
A mission control center is an entity that manages aerospace vehicle flights, usually from the point of lift-off until the landing or the end of the mission. A staff of flight controllers and other support personnel monitor all aspects of the mission using telemetry, and send commands to the...

(control center for the Russian Federal Space Agency
Russian Federal Space Agency
The Russian Federal Space Agency , commonly called Roscosmos and abbreviated as FKA and RKA , is the government agency responsible for the Russian space science program and general aerospace research. It was previously the Russian Aviation and Space Agency .Headquarters of Roscosmos are located...

, Korolyov
Korolyov
Korolyov , also transliterated as Korolev or Korolov, or its feminine variant Korolyova , is a common Russian surname. It is derived from the word "", korol) meaning "king"...

, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

)
European Space Operations Centre
European Space Operations Centre
The European Space Operations Centre is responsible for controlling ESA satellites and space probes. The centre is located in Darmstadt, Germany. It is Mission Control for most of the space projects of the ESA. Since its creation in 1967, the centre has operated 60 European space missions...

(control center for the European Space Agency
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...

, Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...

, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

)
Guiana Space Center
Centre Spatial Guyanais
The Guiana Space Centre or, more commonly, Centre Spatial Guyanais is a French spaceport near Kourou in French Guiana. Operational since 1968, it is particularly suitable as a location for a spaceport due to its proximity to the equator, and that launches are in a favourable direction over water...

(launch center for the European Space Agency
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...

, the French space agency CNES
CNES
The is the French government space agency . Established under President Charles de Gaulle in 1961, its headquarters are located in central Paris and it is under the supervision of the French Ministries of Defence and Research...

, and the commercial Arianespace
Arianespace
Arianespace SA is a French company founded in 1980 as the world's first commercial space transportation company. It undertakes the production, operation, and marketing of the Ariane 5 rocket launcher as part of the Ariane programme....

, Kourou
Kourou
Kourou is a commune in French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France located in South America.Kourou is the location of the Guiana Space Centre, France and ESA's main spaceport.-Geography:...

, French Guiana
French Guiana
French Guiana is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department located on the northern Atlantic coast of South America. It has borders with two nations, Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west...

)
Tanegashima Space Center
Tanegashima Space Center
The is one of Japan's space development facilities. It is located on Tanegashima, an island located 115 km south of Kyūshū. It was established in 1969 when the National Space Development Agency of Japan was formed...

(launch center for JAXA, Tanegashima Island, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

)
Tsukuba Space Center
Tsukuba Space Center
Tsukuba Space Center is the operations facility for the Japanese Space Agency located in Tsukuba Science City in Ibaraki Prefecture. The facility opened in 1972 and serves as the primary location for Japan's space operations and research programs...

(control center for JAXA, Tsukuba, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

)
Mission Control Center
Mission Control Center
A mission control center is an entity that manages aerospace vehicle flights, usually from the point of lift-off until the landing or the end of the mission. A staff of flight controllers and other support personnel monitor all aspects of the mission using telemetry, and send commands to the...

(control center for NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...

, Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

)
Johnson Space Center (NASA field center, Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

)
Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center is the NASA installation that has been the launch site for every United States human space flight since 1968. Although such flights are currently on hiatus, KSC continues to manage and operate unmanned rocket launch facilities for America's civilian space program...

(NASA launch center, Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral, from the Spanish Cabo Cañaveral, is a headland in Brevard County, Florida, United States, near the center of the state's Atlantic coast. Known as Cape Kennedy from 1963 to 1973, it lies east of Merritt Island, separated from it by the Banana River.It is part of a region known as the...

, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

)
Payload Operations and Integration Center
Payload Operations and Integration Center
Also known as Huntsville Operations Support Center or Payload Operations Center, it is a National Aeronautics and Space Administration facility that works in conjunction with the Space Station and Space Shuttle Control Centers in Houston, TX...

(Marshall Space Flight Center
Marshall Space Flight Center
The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center is the U.S. government's civilian rocketry and spacecraft propulsion research center. The largest center of NASA, MSFC's first mission was developing the Saturn launch vehicles for the Apollo moon program...

, Huntsville, AL)

Current and former NASA human space flight programs

Mercury program
Mercury program
Mercury Program might refer to:*the first successful American manned spaceflight program, Project Mercury*an American post-rock band, The Mercury Program...
Gemini program
Apollo program
Space Shuttle program
Space Shuttle program
NASA's Space Shuttle program, officially called Space Transportation System , was the United States government's manned launch vehicle program from 1981 to 2011...
International Space Station
International Space Station
The International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...

Former NASA Flight Controllers

John Aaron
John Aaron
John W. Aaron is a former NASA engineer, and was a flight controller during the Apollo program. He is widely credited with saving the Apollo 12 mission when it was struck by lightning shortly after liftoff and played an important role during the Apollo 13 crisis, earning him the highly...

, EECOM
Steve Bales
Steve Bales
Steve Bales is a former NASA engineer and flight controller. He is best known for his role during the Apollo 11 lunar landing.-Early life:Bales was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, and grew up in the nearby town of Fremont. His father was a school janitor and his mother was a beautician...

, GUIDO
Jay Greene
Jay Greene
Jay H. Greene is a retired NASA engineer. He worked as a FIDO flight controller during the Apollo Program and a flight director from 1982 to 1986, most notably as ascent flight director during the Challenger accident in 1986...

, FDO, Range Safety, Flight Director
John Hodge
John Hodge (engineer)
John Dennis Hodge is a British-born aerospace engineer. He worked for the CF-105 Avro Arrow jet interceptor project in Canada. When it was cancelled in 1959, he became a member of NASA's Space Task Group, which later became the Johnson Space Center. During his NASA career, he worked as a flight...

, Flight Director
Christopher C. Kraft, Jr.
Christopher C. Kraft, Jr.
Christopher Columbus Kraft, Jr. is a retired NASA engineer and manager who was instrumental in establishing the agency's Mission Control operation...

, Flight Director
Eugene Kranz, Flight Director
Sy Liebergot, EECOM
Glynn Lunney
Glynn Lunney
Glynn S. Lunney is a retired NASA engineer. An employee of NASA since its foundation in 1958, Lunney was a flight director during the Gemini and Apollo programs, and was on duty during historic events such as the Apollo 11 lunar ascent and the pivotal hours of the Apollo 13 crisis...

, FDO, Flight Director
Roger Balettie, FDO
William (Bill) Gravett, EGIL

External links

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