John F. Kennedy Space Center Presents:

Firing Room Virtual Tour

Visit the NASA Home page: http://www.nasa.gov

The Virtual Tour starts with a main page welcoming you . You are then asked to enter the Tour by clicking on a link. The next screen brings you to an image of the Firing Room and welcomes you to the Tour.

To continue with the tour you are instructed to click on the image of the Firing Room. To the left of the image is displayed the following text: "The Launch Control Center (LCC) is a four-story building that is the electronic 'brain' of Launch Complex 39. Attached to the southeast corner of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB).

Inside you will be able to explore the Firing Room, one of the most essential sectors of the LCC. It is here that some of the worlds' best aid in prelaunch and launch of the Shuttle."

You are then advised to enter the Tour.

The next screen shows the layout of Firing Room One. The following text is displayed: "Welcome to the Launch Control Center's Firing Room One. To select information, hover over a section on the 3D floor plan. Then left click with your mouse. The information for each selection you have made will be displayed in the gray area below. For additional help, click the 'Help Button.'"

Additionally on this screen you also have the option of clicking on a link to get a closer view and clicking a separate link to go to a separate screen of a close up of the 3D Master Console.

There are 10 different areas that are explained by hovering and left clicking over them. With each explanation you can also click on the "closer view" and pick out individual seats to find out the position of the person who sits there.

Listed here are the descriptions as you will find them on the pages:

C-1: Seated here are payload contractor representatives and payload engineers that prepare the payload and monitor key parameters through launch.

C-2: The C-2 console is home to the Navigational Aids System (Navaids), Communications System, and Range Safety System (RSS). The Communications System transfers data and voice between the Shuttle and the ground. Navigational Aids determine the Shuttle's exact position in space. The Range Safety System protects the general public in the event a launch vehicle strays outside of the prescribed ascent profile.

C-3 & 4: The C-3 and C-4 console is the site for launch team members responsible for the Main Propulsion System (MPS), Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME) and the liquid fuels or cryogenics used for the launch - liquid hydrogen (LH2) and liquid oxygen (LO2). This console provides oversight for the tanking or fueling activities that are usually scheduled six hours before launch and monitors key parameters through launch.

C-5 & 6: The C-5 and C-6 console staff are responsible for four specialized systems, some located on the Shuttle and some at the launch pad. They include: Mechanisms (Airframe Mechanical), the Orbiter Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS), the Environmental Control System on the launch pad (ECS) and the Power Reactant Storage and Distribution (PRSD) on the Shuttle. The PRSD system holds liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen for the Shuttle's Fuel Cells. Fuel Cell Power (FCP) Plants generate electricity and, as a byproduct, drinking water for the Shuttle crew. Payload Electrical (PLE) is also controlled from this location.

C-7 & 8: Oversight of the C-7 and C-8 console is the responsibility of launch team members involved with hydraulics and hypergolic fuels. The Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) and Reaction Control System (RCS) use hypergolic fuels to provide the ability to dock with the International Space Station and match orbits with other spacecraft, to change orbits, and to perform deorbit burns. They are also responsible for monitoring the Auxiliary Power Units (APUs), which provide hydraulic power to the Orbiter, and the Hydraulic Power Units (HPUs) on the Solid Rocket Boosters. In the far left of this console, the Gaseous Oxygen Vent Arm (GVA) and Orbiter Access Arm (OAA) are monitored in the last several minutes of the countdown.

C-9 & 10: C-9 and C-10 is the location for oversight of the Shuttle's Instrumentation System (INS). Staff stationed at this console also monitor the Hazardous Gas Detection Systems (HAZ GAS), which checks for leaks in the External Tank's plumbing. This console also monitors the Electrical Power Distribution and Control (EPDC), the actual wiring and plugs that carry and distribute power for the Shuttle.

Backup and Integration: The backup console provides a monitoring function for the various launch processes. The Integration console is home to the Ground Launch Sequencer (GLS) which takes over management and monitoring of all Terminal Countdown activities at T-9 minutes prior to launch. The NASA Shuttle Project Engineer (SPE) is located at Integration Console. It is their job to integrate technical engineering problems to resolution. The Test Project Engineer (TPE) also resides at Integration; they support the SPE in technical issue resolution and integration.

HSP-2: Hot Spare (HSP-2) is a spare console located at the front center of the firing room. It is utilized should one of the key systems consoles fail at any point during the launch process. Two additional hot spare consoles are also available in a control room next door.

Master Console: The Master Console is located in a room at the back of the firing room. Test Team members at this console monitor the Launch Processing System (LPS) computers located in the Firing Room as well as Hardware Interface Modules (HIMs) located at the Launch Pad and other processing locations in the Launch Complex Area. They also provide software support to the firing rooms.

Operations Management Room (OMR): NASA and contractor senior management are seated here. This typically includes the Associate Administrator for Space Flight, the Associate Administrator for Safety and Mission Assurance and the Directors of those NASA centers with primary roles in the Shuttle Program: Johnson Space Center, Kennedy Space Center, Marshall Space Flight Center and Stennis Space Center. Also seated in the OMR is the Associate Administrator for Public Affairs.

ROW AA
AA1: Kennedy Space Center NASA Public Affairs provides launch commentary to the public beginning around five hours before launch and continuing until liftoff. Once the Shuttle has lifted off the pad, public affairs commentary switches from Kennedy to Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center, Houston.

AA2: Payload Launch Manager (call sign PLM). The leader of the Integrated Payload Test Team responsible for the management and technical direction of preflight checkout and integration of payloads on the Space Shuttle.

AA4: Assistant Launch Director (call sign ALD). Supports the Launch Director by providing expertise and insight on issues and problem resolution during the integrated processing flow and launch countdown.

AA6: Flow Director. The Flow Director oversees the preflight preparation, test and checkout of the Orbiter from landing to launch. During the launch countdown, the Flow Director provides mission specific flow processing knowledge to the launch team.

ROW AB
AB1: Assistant Support Test Manager (call sign ASTM). The ASTM assists the STM in coordinating and integrating ground support resources during launch countdown.

AB2: Support Test Manager (call sign STM). The STM manages and integrates ground support resources in support of launch countdown.

AB3: Assistant Orbiter Test Conductor (call sign AOTC). The AOTC assists the OTC during Orbiter testing activities to include performance of switch lists to verify the configuration of the Orbiter prior to launch.

AB4: Orbiter Test Conductor (call sign OTC). The OTC conducts and integrates all Orbiter testing activities required in preparation for flight. This is the senior contractor representative on the Shuttle test team for launch countdown.

AB5: NASA Test Director (call sign NTD). Leader of the Shuttle test team responsible for directing and integrating all Astronaut Flight Crew, Orbiter, External Tank/Solid Rocket Booster and ground support testing in the Shuttle launch countdown. Responsible for the safety of all personnel inside the pad after External Tank loading, including the flight crew. Reports to the Launch Director.

AB6: Assistant NTD (call sign ANTD). The Assistant NTD supports the NTD in execution of the launch countdown, management of countdown clock/timelines, and problem resolution to include Red Crew management as required.

AB7: Chief NASA Test Director (call sign CNTD). Provides expert advice to the NASA Test Director, Landing & Recovery Director, and the Launch Director. The Chief NTD will have previously served as the NASA Test Director for numerous launches.

AB8: Landing and Recovery Director (call sign LRD). Manages Kennedy Space Center assets to support landing operations and Solid Rocket Booster recovery. Provides coordination for any contingency landing operations with Department of Defense Manned Space Flight Support (DDMS) office and the JSC Landing Support Officer (LSO).

ROW AC
AC1: Safety Console Coordinator (call sign Safety). The Safety official is responsible for ensuring all ground safety requirements affecting personnel and flight hardware safety are met during launch countdown activities through the verification of appropriate safety measures.

AC3: KSC Emergency Medical Services/Biomedical Engineer. Monitors Astronaut Flight Crew health status. This position would be responsible for medical advice and coordinating medical support in event of a contingency.

AC4: JSC Flight Surgeon. Maintains current medical data on each crew member in the event baseline data is needed in an emergency. Responsible for overall medical condition of the Astronaut Flight Crew.

AC5: Payload Test Conductor (call sign PTC). Conducts and integrates all payload launch operations and represents payload customer interests in countdown planning and execution.

AC6: NASA Payload Test Director (call sign PTD). The NASA Payload management counterpart of the PTC.

AC7: Assistant Tank/Booster Test Conductor (call sign ATBC). Supports the TBC in preparing the External Tank and Solid Rocket Boosters for launch.

AC8: Tank/Booster Test Conductor (call sign TBC). Conducts and integrates all External Tank and Solid Rocket Booster testing required to prepare the Shuttle for launch, including cryogenic liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen loading into the External Tank.

AA6 Flow Director
AB8 Landing and Recovery Director (LRD)
AC1 Safety Console Coordinator
AC2 NASA Safety
AC6 NASA Payload Test Director

Backup & Integration: The backup console provides a monitoring function for the various launch processes. Integration: The integration console is home to the Ground Launch Sequencer (GLS) which takes over at T-9 minutes before launch. The overall Shuttle project engineer and test project engineer will be found seated at this console.

Master Console: The Master Console is located in a room at the back of the firing room. Staff at this console provide software support to the Firing Room as part of the launch processing system.

If at any point you want to see exactly where the individuals are seated at any of the consoles, if you click the "closer view" link you will be able to left click on each individual seat and have the individual responsibility listed at the bottom of the screen.

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Page Last Updated: January 16, 2007

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