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Author
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Topic: Historic Mission Control Houston
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flight_plan
Member Posts: 58
From: Lincs
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted July 16, 2009 02:05 PM
  
As an enthusiast for the Apollo era, I intend one day to visit the Historic Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center. I am a stickler for detail and wish to see it as near as original as possible but what worried me is how many of the command modules are bitsas’s and hence not as per flight. Or have they been put back to original as per flight status yet? After visiting the Astronaut Hall of Fame a few years back I noticed a consule that you could sit at stating it came from HMC. If this is the case I presume a fake is in its place at HMC? if so how many of the consoles there are original? I watched a recent video of Gene Cernan revisiting HMC here on TV recently in the UK and was impressed when he said you can still smell the smoke so either that's pumped in for effect or original. |
Sy Liebergot
Member Posts: 437
From: Pearland, Texas USA
Registered: May 2003
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posted July 16, 2009 03:43 PM
As I related in my autobio, there were 146 cosoles in Bldg 30 (MCC). Of these, only the 25 consoles on the third floor remain. You'll find some in museums, etc, around the country. I assisted the Seattle Museum of Flight and the Niagara Aerospace Museum in obtaining some of the original consoles. The console at the AHF may be one of the orphans.Re: Cernan "Still smell the smoke.": Not a chance. Sy Liebergot
"Apollo EECOM: Journey of A Lifetime"
www.apolloeecom.com |
flight_plan
Member Posts: 58
From: Lincs
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted July 16, 2009 04:20 PM
Well I never thought I would get a reply from one of the actual users of this equipment, so many thanks for your response and you have made my day/evening squire.I do have your book and it is on my list to read so have not seen that bit yet. Regarding the consoles that are left, if I wanted to see the actual consoles that Gene Kranz, Steve Bales or Charlie Duke sat at during Apollo 11 am I asking too much? (Told you I am a stickler.)
Is it only a view from behind glass or can I walk along each row of consoles? |
MCroft04
Member Posts: 1085
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005
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posted July 16, 2009 05:00 PM
How about the one that Sy sat at? |
flight_plan
Member Posts: 58
From: Lincs
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted July 16, 2009 05:07 PM
Whoops, yes, forgot the most important one. I could sit there all day and read his book... ahhhhhhhh bliss. |
Sy Liebergot
Member Posts: 437
From: Pearland, Texas USA
Registered: May 2003
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posted July 16, 2009 06:24 PM
All the MOCR consoles are there. That room has been designated a national historic site. Viewing is behind the viewing room glass, I believe.Sy |
GACspaceguy
Member Posts: 1011
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted July 16, 2009 06:49 PM
Go to the JSC web site and purchase the Level 9 tour package. That tour lets you go inside the room and sit at the actual consoles! |
MCroft04
Member Posts: 1085
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005
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posted July 16, 2009 09:14 PM
Not every Level 9 tour gets to go into the control room (behind the glass). I think it depends upon other logistics scheduled for that day. |
AFGAS
Member Posts: 89
From: Merritt Island, FL
Registered: Feb 2008
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posted July 16, 2009 09:20 PM
Select groups of educators and students (I was with educators) have been able to spend an evening in the MOCR watching Apollo 13 while seated at the consoles. Quite an experience. |
flight_plan
Member Posts: 58
From: Lincs
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted July 17, 2009 03:00 AM
My thanks to all for info especially the Level 9 info. I have seen some photos on various sites with people amongst the consoles, but then you often hear behind glass only. When I eventually get to go, (I waited 35 years to see KSC) I will inquire from the UK to ensure I get a front seat viewpoint (with Sy's book in hand of course). Whilst on that point, you can have lunch with an astronaut at KSC and have a Q&A session as well, so it would be great if HMC could do something similar with a name from that era to talk you through the place. Or is that an option already?Watching Apollo 13 from that room must be fantastic. In the late 60's (aged 12) watching our rented black and white (blurred) TV showing the people who worked here and the room itself, was the top of the tree for me regarding science and technology and was another world away from my run down Hackney, London Council flat, but it was one of the places/things that inspired me to get a qualification in engineering/electronics and a job with constant technical changes. |
GACspaceguy
Member Posts: 1011
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted July 17, 2009 09:25 AM
The "old" Mission Control is on the Level 9 tour and it puts you in front of the glass and has been so each time I have gone. It is the "new" Mission Control that is always behind the glass and dependent on an ongoing mission. We were there last during the STS-125 flight and went inside the "old" control room and did not get to see the current Mission Control room as a spacewalk for Hubble was on going.  
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flight_plan
Member Posts: 58
From: Lincs
Registered: Apr 2009
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posted July 17, 2009 11:01 AM
Brilliant news. Thank you. Its the old one I am more interested in seeing from a seat point of view amongst the consoles. Great photos and I presume the cones under the screen are to reserve the next moon landing spot? |
MCroft04
Member Posts: 1085
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005
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posted July 17, 2009 08:15 PM
A bit of advice from a frequent visitor to the Space Center; save a lot of time to spend in the Skylab mockup. I walked through it quite a few times before I took the time to actually understand the entire machine. |
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