Revised 11/2/2015

Mission Control Center (MCC) Building 30

A BRIEF HISTORY OF MCC

Since 1965, Johnson Space Center's MISSION CONTROL CENTER (MCC) in Houston, Texas has been the nerve center for
America's Manned Space Program. The men and women who work in JSC's Building 30 have been vital to the success of every
manned flight since Gemini 4. These teams of experienced engineers and technicians monitor spacecraft systems and activities 24
hours a day during missions, using some of the most sophisticated communication, computer, data reduction, and data display
equipment available. They watch every movement of the crew, the Shuttle, the Payloads, and target vehicles and double check every
process to ensure that the mission is proceeding as expected, and provide expertise to deal with the unexpected.
During the Mercury project, when Mission Control was at Cape Canaveral, Florida, capsules were controlled almost entirely from the
ground. The capsule's manual control system served, in most cases, as backups to the automated systems, and astronauts relied
heavily on ground control for solutions to problems. As spacecraft became more complex in the Gemini years, dependence on the
then new Mission Control Center in Houston lessened slightly. During Apollo, when distance and communications breaks made it
necessary, some onboard systems became primary, while others still relied on direction from Mission Control.
The frequent missions of the Space Shuttle program required a new approach to flight control. Since the Shuttle's five onboard
computers monitored most systems for the flight crew, the ground control team's main responsibilities were to follow flight activities
and to be prepared for major maneuvers, schedule changes, and unanticipated events. Still, from the moment the giant Solid Rocket
Boosters (SRBs) ignited at liftoff, to when the Shuttles mission was completed after landing, the Johnson Space Center's Mission
Control Center (MCC) was the hub of all Shuttle flight activities.

The Mission Operations Wing of MCC was constructed in 1963 and contains the original Mission Operations Control Rooms which
were used for Project Gemini mission support, and later for Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, Space Shuttle and International Space
Station programs. In 1992, MCC was enlarged with the addition of the five-story building 30 South which houses the more
advanced Flight Control Rooms and the various back room positions required for Space Shuttle and International Space Station
support. It also houses the Payload Operations Control Center, the Mission Operations and Integration Room (MOIR) which became
the Shuttle Mission Evaluation Room (MER), and most of the new state-of-the-art electronic equipment used for Space Shuttle and
International Space Station support.
FLIGHT CONTROL ROOMS
Mission Control's focal points are the Flight Control Rooms, from which a team of individuals known as Flight Controllers supervise
and control space missions. Computer consoles in these rooms provide status and event displays which allow flight controllers to
monitor and control manned space missions such as Space Shuttle or the International Space Station. They also provide status and
control for the MCC and network resources.
The Mission Control Center currently has five primary control rooms: Two Apollo-era control rooms, one of which (FCR1) is currently
used for controlling the International Space Station, and three control rooms which are used for training: the White FCR, Blue FCR,
and Red FCR. One of the Apollo rooms and the White FCR was formerly used for Space Shuttle missions, the Blue FCR was
formerly used for the International Space Station, and the Red FCR has always been used for training flight controllers.
APOLLO-ERA FLIGHT CONTROL ROOMS
The Apollo Mission Operations Control Room #1 (MOCR1) is located on the second floor of building 30 MOW. It was used for
launching the Saturn 1B vehicle, including Apollo 7, the Skylab manned missions, Apollo-Soyuz, and most of the unclassified Space
Shuttle missions.
After the initial test flights of the Space Shuttle, the MOCR designation was changed to FCR, for Flight Control Room. MOCR1
became FCR1 and MOCR2 became FCR2. The term remains in use today with FCR1, White FCR, Blue FCR and Red FCR.
The last complete Shuttle flight flown from FCR1 was STS-71 in June 1995. FCR1 was used to control portions of Space Shuttle
missions beginning with STS-70 on July 13, 1995 and ending with the ascent of STS-76 on March 22, 1996 (FCR1 was used for
ascent and entry support while the newly built White FCR was used for on-orbit support). STS-76 marked the last use of FCR1 for
support of the Space Shuttle Program. The total number of flights (Shuttle, Apollo, Skylab, and Apollo-Soyuz) controlled from FCR1
is 60.
After deactivation, equipment in FCR1 was removed to allow installation of new generation workstations and equipment for the new
Life Sciences Center. This control room was used by scientists from around the world for gathering and sharing of life sciences data
from onboard the International Space Station and Shuttle. The Life Sciences Center was first used for the Shuttle's "Neurolab" flight,
STS-90 which flew in April, 1998. On October 6, 2006, FCR1 became the new home to the flight controllers for the International
Space Station.

MOCR2 (FCR2) is located directly above MOCR1, on the third floor of building 30 MOW. MOCR2 was used for control of all Gemini
flights (Mercury flights were controlled from facilities at Cape Canaveral), and all lunar landings. All Apollo manned launches, with the
single exception of Apollo 7, were controlled from MOCR2. The first use of MOCR2 was for flight following of Gemini 3 on March 23,
1965. Gemini 4, June 3-7, 1965 was the rooms first prime support. MOCR2 was the control room for Apollo 11 on July 20, 1969
when Astronaut Neil Armstrong made the first footprint on the lunar surface. During the Shuttle era, MOCR2 (FCR2) was used
primarily for DOD (classified) flights. The last operational use of MOCR2 (FCR2) was for STS-53 on the last classified Space Shuttle
mission, launched December 2, 1992 and landed on December 9, 1992.
Following STS-53, the room was preserved as a National Historic Landmark as the control room for the first human landing on the
moon. It has gradually been converted to a configuration similar to when it supported Apollo 11, with the consoles in a similar
location, but with many of the hardware modules still Shuttle era, and individual consoles, including "Flight Director", not having the
correct set of modules and panels. The DVIS communications keysets were pulled out for operational use and original style VIS
keysets inserted for filming of a Family Channel production of "Apollo 11" in the mid 90's. One short scene from "Armageddon" was
also filmed in FCR2 with Bruce Willis, but if you blink, you miss it. Tom Hanks "Apollo 13" movie used actual consoles from storage
that were shipped to California for the MCC set and were then returned to NASA (these were not removed from the MOCR, but were
other consoles that had previously been removed from other rooms in the MCC). For the HBO mini-series, "From the Earth to the
Moon" MGM Studios in Orlando built their own set, and did not use actual MCC consoles. For the filming of Space Cowboys,
Warner Brothers built their own set in Hollywood. One scene in Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon was filmed in MOCR2 in October
2010 using Flight Controller employees as extras.
On the north wall of FCR2 hang the flight plaques for the missions which were supported from FCR2. The total number of flights
(Gemini, Apollo, and Shuttle) controlled from FCR2 is 41.

MOCR2 (FCR2), April 1970 During Apollo 13 Support

Total Flights by Program and Control Room

3rd Floor
MOCR2/FCR2

Gemini
Apollo
Skylab
Apollo-Soyuz
Space Shuttle

10
10

21

2nd Floor
MOCR1/FCR1

1
3
1
55*

2nd Floor
White FCR

66*

* Includes seven flights flown out of both FCR1 and White FCR during transition period. Current as of 8/10/2011.

Apollo Era Control Rooms MOCR1&MOCR2 Flight Controller Positions

GROUP DISPLAYS

Booster
Systems

Retrofire
Officer

Flight
Dynamics
Officer

Guidance
Officer

Simulation
Control
Area
Life Systems
Officer

Comm
Systems

Operations
and
Procedures

Abbreviations
EPS Electrical Power System
ECS Environmental Control System
EVA Extravehicular Activity
G&N Guidance and Navigation
LM Lunar Module
CSM Command Module/Service Module

VIP Room

Spacecraft
Communicator

CSM
EPS/ECS

Assistant Flight
Director

Flight Director

Public Affairs
Officer

Flight
Operations
Management

Viewing Room

CSM
G&N/Prop

LM and EVA
EPS/ECS

LM G&N/Prop

Flight Activities
Officer

Mission
Director

Network
Controller

Department of
Defense

VIP Room

WHITE FLIGHT CONTROL ROOM

Until the end of the Shuttle Program, the Shuttle Flight Control Room (White FCR) was staffed by the Shuttle flight control team, which
consisted of a member from each Shuttle discipline who reported directly to the Flight Director. The flight control team worked
together to resolve all flight problems which may have arisen, ensured that the mission timeline was followed, and that the mission
objectives were met. The White FCR was the primary Space Shuttle Control Room, and was staffed 24 hours a day during Shuttle
flights. The first use of the White FCR was the orbit phase of STS-70, July 13-23, 1995. The first entry phase controlled from the
White FCR was orbit/entry of STS-76, March 22-31, 1996. The first dedicated complete flight out of the White FCR was STS-77, May
19-29, 1996. The final use of the room in an operational capacity was for STS-135, July 8-21, 2011. The White FCR is currently
being outfitted with new computer equipment and will be used to support ISS operations beginning in January 2016.

White FCR, May 2009. Space Shuttle Support for STS-125 Entry&Landing Shown

White Flight Control Room

(66 Shuttle Missions, ISS Control)
The designations below indicate flight controller positions during Shuttle support. Different console positions and locations existed for later ISS support.

GROUP DISPLAYS

TRAJECTORY

GROUND
CONTROL (GC)

RENDEZVOUS

FDO

PROPULSION
(PROP)

GUIDANCE/NAVIGATION
(GNC)

MECHANICAL
(MMACS)

DATA PROCESSING
(DPS)

ACO

FLIGHT ACTIVITIES
(FAO)

INCO

PAO

FLIGHT DIRECTOR

MOD

EGIL

ENVIRONMENTAL
(EECOM)

CAPCOM

PAYLOAD DEPLOY /
RETRIEVAL (PDRS)

EXTRAVEHICULAR
ACTIVITIES (EVA)*

SURGEON

* Shared Console

Space Shuttle White FCR and MPSR Positions

TRAJ / FDO (DM) - Trajectory Officer / Flight Dynamics Officer
Plans maneuvers and monitors trajectory in conjunction with Guidance Officer
ENTRY
TARGETING
ASCENT SUPPORT
ARD
ABORT SUPPORT
DYNAMICS

GPO (DM) - Guidance Procedures Officer

Ensures the onboard navigation and onboard guidance computer software executes tasks to accomplish mission objectives
GUIDANCE SUPPORT (GSO)
NAV

GC - Ground Controller
Directs maintenance and operation activities affecting Mission Control hardware, software and support facilities, coordinates spaceflight tracking and data
network and tracking and data relay satellite system (TDRSS) with Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC).
CEF
COMMAND
COMM TECH
COMM CONTROL
DFE
FSM
HOUSTON VOICE
HOUSTON TV
ODRC
RECORDERS
WSS

PROP (DF) - Propulsion Officer

Monitors and evaluates reaction control and orbital maneuvering systems during all phases of flight, and manages propellants and other consumables
available for maneuvers
OREO
CONSUMABLES
ORCON

GNC (DF) - Guidance, Navigation, and Control

Monitors all vehicle guidance, navigation and control systems, notifies Flight Director and crew of impending abort situations, advises crew regarding
guidance malfunctions
CONTROL
SENSORS
GNC SUPPORT

MMACS (DF) - Maintenance, Mechanical and Crew Systems Engineer

Monitors the orbiter's structural and mechanical systems, and follows use of onboard crew hardware and in-flight equipment maintenance
MECH 1
MECH 2
FM
Escape/Crew Sys

EGIL (DF) - Electrical Generation and Integrated Lighting Systems Engineer

Monitors cryogenic levels for fuel cells, electrical generation and distribution systems and vehicle lighting
EPS

DPS (DF) - Data Processing System Engineer

Determines status of data processing system including the five onboard general purpose computers, flight-critical and launch data lines, the displays,
onboard mass memory and software
DPS SUPPORT

ACO - Assembly and Checkout Officer

Responsible for development of station assembly, activation and checkout operations

PAYLOADS - Payloads Officer (for all ISS flights, ACO - Assembly & Checkout Officer)
Coordinates onboard and ground system interfaces between the flight control team and payload user, and monitors Spacelab and upper stage systems
and their interfaces with the payloads. Monitors the transfer of items between Shuttle and ISS and is responsible for major assembly sequences for the
ISS

FAO - Flight Activities Officer

Plans and supports crew activities, checklists, procedures and schedules. Develops the attitude timeline for most efficient pointing of the Shuttle to
maximize communication attitude in conjunction with mission objectives. Coordinates daily updates to the crew activity plan as required.

EECOM (DF) - Emergency, Environmental and Consumables Systems Engineer

Monitors avionics and cabin cooling systems, and cabin pressure control systems
LIFE SUPPORT
THERMAL

INCO (DF) - Instrumentation and Communications Systems Engineer

Plans and monitors in-flight communications and instrumentation systems configurations
RF COMM
INST
DATA COMM

FLIGHT - Flight Director

Leader of the flight control team. "Flight" is responsible for overall Shuttle mission and payload operations and is responsible for all decisions regarding
safe, expedient flight conduct

CAPCOM - Spacecraft Communicator

Primary communicator between flight control and astronauts. The initials are a holdover from earlier manned spaceflight, when Mercury was called a
capsule rather than a spacecraft

PDRS - Payload Deploy and Retrieval Systems Engineer

Monitors the operations of the robotic arm

PAO - Public Affairs Officer

Provides mission commentary to supplement and explain air-to-ground transmission and flight control operations to the news media and the public

MOD (DA) - Mission Operations Directorate

Provides a link from the flight control room to top NASA and mission managers.

EVA (DX) - Extravehicular Activities Systems Engineer

Monitors the astronauts and their suits as they perform space walks during the missions. Plans and manages the activities to be performed during the
EVA. Works with the astronauts developing techniques and tools.

RIO - Russian Interface Officer

Serves as primary interface between United States and Russian control teams. EVA console position used.

BOOSTER (DF) - Booster Systems Engineer

Monitors and evaluates the main engines, solid rocket boosters and external tank performance during prelaunch and ascent phases of missions. Monitors
helium pressure in the MPS for entry. EVA console position used.
ME
MPS

SURGEON - Flight Surgeon

Monitors crew activities, coordinates medical operations flight control team, provides crew consultation, and advises Flight Director of the crew's health
status

BLUE FLIGHT CONTROL ROOM

The Blue FCR (renamed in 1998 from the Special Vehicles Operations Room (SVO)) is located adjacent to the White FCR in building
30 South. This was the control room for the International Space Station from 1998, with the first ISS assembly flights, until October 6,
2006 when support moved to FCR1. The Blue FCR will be used for planned future manned missions such as Orion.

Blue FCR, July 2015

RED FLIGHT CONTROL ROOM

The Red FCR was formerly used to train flight controllers for control, operation and monitoring of the Space Shuttle and International
Space Station. The room has not been utilized since early 2016. The room will likely be outfitted with new MCC21 computer hardware
and consoles identical to those in use in White FCR, FCR1, and Blue FCR.
FCR1
On October 6, 2006 the old Apollo MOCR1 (FCR1) was activated as the ISS control room. FCR1 is staffed 24 hours a day since there
is always a crew onboard the Station. In December 2015 the flight controllers intermittently supported ISS from the White FCR to
allow computer upgrades in FCR1, with a full move to White FCR in April 2016. The flight controllers subsequently moved back to
FCR1 in November 2016. FCR1 is routinely shown on NASA Television and may be familiar to visitors:

FCR1 (Formerly Apollo MOCR1), August 2014. ISS Support Shown During ATV-5 Rendezvous

MULTI-PURPOSE SUPPORT ROOMS

Although the FCRs are the most publicly visible parts of the Mission Control Center, there are many support positions throughout the
building which assist the personnel in the FCRs. These areas are referred to as the Multi-Purpose Support Rooms (MPSR), or back
rooms. In the MPSR areas, personnel monitor and analyze data from the ISS, and in the near future from Orion. They perform realtime simulations and provide valuable information and technical expertise to the front room (FCR) positions. The MPSR areas are
organized into groups, each of which supports one or several front room positions. For example, the HAWKI MPSR position would
support the ADCO in FCR1, and SPARTAN in FCR1 is supported by PRO and SPOC in the MPSR.

Revised 1/18/2017

FCR1
(International Space Station)
The designations below indicate flight controller positions during ISS support after November 2016. The ISS console locations differed prior to December 2015. Different flight controller positions existed for Apollo and Shuttle.

GROUP DISPLAYS

GROUND CONTROL

RIO

ISO

PAO

TOPO

ADCO

SPARTAN

ETHOS

OPS PLANNER

PLUTO

ROBO

CRONUS

VVO

FLIGHT DIRECTOR

CAPCOM

OSO

(vacant)

ISE

FOD

EVA

BME

SURGEON

ISS FCR and MPSR Positions

ADCO Attitude Determination and Control Officer
Has overall responsibility for the integration of all GNC, propulsion and Interim Control Module (ICM) activities.
HAWKI

SPARTAN Station Power, Articulation and Thermal Control

Monitors/maintains electrical system: conversion of solar energy to electrical power. Control, storage and delivery of electrical energy to the ISS.
Supervision over several external thermal systems which remove heat through external cooling loops which is transferred from internal cooling loops.
Note: SPARTAN systems were formerly the responsibility of THOR and PHALCON.
SPOC
PRO

ISO Inventory and Stowage Officer

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.

PAO Public Affairs Officer

Provides mission commentary to supplement and explain air-to-ground transmission and flight control operations to the news media and the public

OSO Operations Support Officer

Logistics support functions that address on-orbit maintenance, support data and documentation, logistics information systems and maintenance analysis
OSO Support
OSO Mech

ISE Integration Systems Engineer

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.

ETHOS Environmental and Thermal Operating Systems

Responsible for monitoring and operation of crew life support systems and internal cooling systems which gather heat generated by electronics and other
sources, which is then transferred to external cooling loops. Note: These functions were formerly the responsibility of ECLSS and THOR.
TREC
TCON

OPS PLANNER
Responsible for developing and coordinating operations plans and crew work schedules, or timelines, during periods when the Space Shuttle is not
docked to the station.

PLUTO Plug-in Port UTilization Officer

Tracks portable electronic equipment, making sure equipment connected is compatible and does not violate constraints, and will not overdraw the power
source. Also responsible for maintaining the OPS LAN (Operations Local Area Network) and the JSL (Joint Station LAN), and remote desktop
commanding for ROBONAUT activities.

ROBO Robotics Operations Systems Officer

Monitors the operations of the Station robotic arm and mobile servicing system

FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Leader of the flight control team. "Flight" is responsible for overall ISS mission operations and is responsible for all decisions regarding safe, expedient
flight conduct

CAPCOM Spacecraft Communicator

Primary communicator between flight control and astronauts. The Capsule Communicator initials are a holdover from earlier manned spaceflight, when
Mercury was called a capsule rather than a spacecraft. CAPCOM is usually an astronaut.

TOPO Trajectory Operations Officer (shared position)

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.

RIO Remote Interface Officer

Serves as the primary interface between the U.S., Russian, and European Space Agency control teams

CRONUS Communication Radio Frequency Onboard Network Utilization Specialist

Manages the transfer of data to ISS (computer commands and files) and from ISS (telemetry). Responsible for all video and audio communications
between ISS and Mission Control. Responsible for maintaining the Caution and Warning server, which warns the ISS crew of emergencies or dangerous
conditions with the environment or equipment aboard ISS. Note: CRONUS responsibilities were formerly handled by CATO and ODIN.
RAPTOR

VVO Visiting Vehicle Officer

Guidance and navigation liaison between the ISS and "visiting vehicles" such as Progress, Soyuz, Dragon, ATV, HTV, Cygnus.

EVA Extra-Vehicular Activity

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

BME Biomedical Engineer

Monitors health-related Station systems and crew health care systems.

SURGEON Flight Surgeon

Monitors crew activities, coordinates medical operations flight control team, provides crew consultation, and advises Flight Director of the crew's health
status

GROUND CONTROL
Directs maintenance and operation activities affecting Mission Control hardware, software and support facilities, coordinates spaceflight tracking and data
network and tracking and data relay satellite system (TDRSS) with Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC).

Revised 1/18/2017

HISTORICAL USAGE OF FLIGHT CONTROL ROOMS

S1B Launches
Apollo 7
MOCR1
(FCR1)

Apollo/
Soyuz

S1B

SCIENCE CENTER

SHUTTLE

ISS2

ISS

Skylab 2, 3, 4
MOCR2
(FCR2)

National Historic Landmark

SHUTTLE
Gemini 3-12

ISS Training ISS

Apollo 8-17

T2 I1

SHUTTLE

WHITE FCR

ISS Training2

Orion Dev & Flight Tests

ISS Training/Flight Following

ISS

BLUE FCR

ISS Training

O/T2

Orion Ops

& Shuttle Backroom Support

Shuttle/ISS Training

RED FCR

1960
March
1965

1970
December
1972
October
1968

1980
April
1981

October
1985

1990
December
1992

2000
April
1998

2010
October
July
2006
2011

March
1996

Note: MOCR1, MOCR2 and Red FCR reside in the original Building 30 Mission Operations Wing.
The White and Blue FCRs reside in Building 30 South built in 1992.
1 Intermittent ISS mission support from White FCR, with complete team move to White FCR in April 2016 to allow MCC21 computer upgrades in FCR1.
2 MCC21 computer system

2020

December
2015
November
2016

This document authored by Mike Scott (Michael.L.Scott@NASA.gov). Some material used with permission of William Foster, GC, and NASA MCC Fact Sheets