My year inside Mission Control

In 1994, I spent most of the year inside the Mission Control Center (MCC) at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas. I was the computer systems manager for Mission Operations for the SIR-C project, a radar imaging payload that fit in the back of the space shuttle. The payload flew twice in 1994. In Jaunary, I packed up all the ground support equipment at JPL, shipped it to Houston, then flew down there and set up the equipment in the Payload Operations Command Center (POCC) inside MCC.

We set up the equipment months before our flight. Once it was set up, then the whole team would fly from Los Angeles to Houston and run some practice simulations. Then everyone would fly back to Los Angeles, until it was time for the actual flight. Everyone but me.

JSC wanted someone to be with the equipment in the POCC at all times. So, I got an apartment in Clear Lake. I wasn't there 100% of the time, it would be 3 weeks in Houston, then one week back in LA, two weeks in Houston, one weekend in LA, etc.

So we have our first flight, STS-59, in April. Everything went great. Then we took a little break in May, then started up again in June for our second flight, which was suppose to be in August. However, during the launch of STS-68, main engines ignited, but an anomaly was detected by the computers, so the engines were shut down and the launch was aborted. When the space shuttles engines ignite and then shutdown, its an automatic six week delay to swap out the three main engines. So our second flight was not until October. Finally, we had our second flight. Everything again went great. Everyone went home, and I was left to pack up all the equipment and ship it back to JPL. I returned home in November.

Now to the amuzing anecdote.

One day I was sitting in the POCC, working on some minor computer code, trying to automate the distribution of some report that the computer systems manager position would be responsible during the flight. This grandfatherly gentleman comes in and starts asking questions about our flight, the setup we have, etc. I very politely answer his questions. He continues to ask questions, wanting to know things in great detail. I answer all his questions as best as I can. During this, I keep trying to look at his badge, trying to see his what is his name. Finally he notices that I'm trying to read his badge, so he sticks out his hand and says "I'm John Young." John Young, the head of the astronaut corp. Flew on Gemini. Walked on the moon. First pilot of the space shuttle.

A few weeks later, John Young comes back into the POCC. However, this time I'm not alone. Lots of people are down from JPL to do a practice simulation. He comes right up to me and starts asking me some more questions. However, this time one of the project managers sees him talking to me and rushes over, butts in, and starts answering all the questions. I just kind of smile and go back to my work.