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A side-by-side comparison of the mission controls of NASA and SpaceX

The truth revealed in pictures: A side-by-side comparison of the mission controls of NASA and SpaceX during Dragon’s arrival at ISS.

The differences tell us a lot. I ask an additional question: Why was there a need for two full mission controls?

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


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"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News

4 comments

  • tps

    One was for the station and the other for Dragon. They did the same for shuttles and for when the Euro ATV’s. I assume its because they are two seperate spacecraft until they are joined.

    Just curious as to what truth was revealed? Houston control for ISS has been there for many years and has to be operational 24/7. All the binders are probably the mission rules in case all the computer fail and they need hard copy. For SpaceX I’m betting it looks bare because the flight will only last days so they don’t need anything fancy at the moment. Some better views are at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/7270451890/

  • Patrick Ritchie

    Short answer: You probably only need one.

    Long answer: I suspect until space travel matures, each company / organization is going to need some going of mission control center to manage the flights of its vehicles. At some point in the future I can foresee a system similar to air traffic control being where control of spacecraft could become centralized in some way, removing the need for each individual company to build their own control centers.

    Also, given this was a test flight there were many more SpaceX engineers on duty than normal.

  • tps

    I wonder how JPL runs all of their missions. I know they have a control room but don’t they farm out the day to day stuff to other universities or project offices?

  • Patrick Ritchie

    I know LASP has it’s own MOC, so I suspect others do as well. It’s not always manned but the computers are always running.

    http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/mission-ops-data/

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