Launch Control Center

The Launch Control Center (LCC) is a four-story building located at Kennedy Space Center, and is used for the supervision of launches from Launch Complex 39. In practice, this means that the LCC handles all manned spaceflights from KSC. Attached to the southeast corner of the Vehicle Assembly Building, the LCC contains offices; telemetry, tracking and instrumentation equipment; the automated Launch Processing System; and four firing rooms.

Firing room

The firing room is the headquarters from which launch operations are supervised and controlled. Responsibility for the booster and spacecraft remains with the LCC until it clears the launch tower; at this point, responsibility is handed over to the Mission Control Center at Johnson Space Center.

Flights have been controlled from the firing rooms at the LCC since the Apollo program. Extensive renovation of Firing Room 4 finished in 2006.

Important positions in the firing room

Launch Director (LD)

The Launch Director is the head of the launch team, and is responsible for making the final "go/no go" decision for launch after polling the relevant team members.

Flow Director (FD)

The Flow Director is responsible for the preparation of the spacecraft for launch, and remains in the LCC in an advisory capacity.

NASA Test Director (NTD)

The NASA Test Director is responsible for all pre-launch testing, whether involving the flight crew, the orbiter, the external tank/solid rocket booster, or ground support equipment. The NTD is also responsible for the safety of all personnel on the pad after fuelling has occurred. Reports to the Launch Director.

Orbiter Test Conductor (OTC)

The Orbiter Test Conductor is in charge of all pre-flight checkout and testing of the orbiter, and manages the engineers in the firing room who monitor the orbiter's systems. OTC is an employee of a contractor rather than of NASA.

Tank/Booster Test Conductor (TBC)

Payload Test Conductor (PTC)

The Payload Test Conductor is responsible for the pre-flight test and checkout of payloads carried by the orbiter and manages the engineering and test teams responsible for monitoring and controlling payload ground operations. PTC is a contractor member of the Space Shuttle Team.

Launch Processing System Coordinator (LPS)

upport Test Manager (STM)

afety Console Coordinator (SAFETY)

huttle Project Engineer (SPE)

Landing and Recovery Director (LRD)

uperintendent of Range Operations (SRO)

The Superintendent of Range Operations ensures downrange airspace and splashdown areas remain clear for launch, and monitors weather near the launch site.

Ground Launch Sequencer Engineer (CGLS)

The Ground Launch Sequencer Engineer is responsible for monitoring the operation of the automated Ground Launch Sequencer system, which controls the countdown from T-9 minutes until launch. After this point through to T-31 seconds, they are in charge of implementing a manual hold if necessary. After T-31 seconds however only cutoff is available and will result in a recycle of the countdown to T-20 minutes and a scrub of the launch. The request for a cutoff is phrased "CGLS, give cutoff."

External links

* [http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/sts-lcc.html#sts-ksc-lps Launch Control Center]
* [http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countdown/launch-team.html Launch Team]
* [http://enterfiringroom.ksc.nasa.gov/firingRoomTour.htm Firing Room Tour]
* [http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/behindscenes/firing_room_4_f.html New Launch Control Room Ready for STS-121 Liftoff]