Video: Everything You'd Want to Know About NASA Mission Control
NASA
Houston, we have some questions.
Mission control at NASA's Johnson Space Center is where many of the most important decisions are made when it comes to the space program. But what exactly goes on there?
NASA Flight Director Mary Lawrence gave a tour of mission control and explained how everything is run.
NASA Johnson boasts several mission control rooms, including one dedicated solely to the International Space Station, and the room has between six and 20 people working at one time.
"The flight director is the lead of the flight control team, so they're the final decision-maker in all human space flight operations," Lawrence said.
Other roles like CAPCOM and ground control communicate with the space station and keep things running smoothly.
Most importantly, it's a job that never ends. All the roles in mission control are filled by multiple people and run on a shift schedule.
"We never close," Lawrence said.
To learn more, check out the video below from NASA: