The Keyboard Wizard's play by play of Mission Control, Houston, TX
Sometimes tour throws you curveballs and sometimes tour throws you fastballs right down the middle. When we were invited to a private tour of NASA's Mission Control facility, my first thought was "how can we get our music into space." Brendan's first thought was, "Is there anyone in the 190 mile high club?" We were treated to an up-close-and-personal tour of Mission Control and got to see and do some amazing things, including sitting in the space shuttle simulator, moving the cameras on the space station to our desired views and giving Russia the old "war games" fake out. Ok, only two of those were true. In honor of the penultimate space shuttle launch, enjoy a short tour of what Brendan, Jake & I got to experience first hand: a most impressive current space program and a place where American & human history unfolded in the 1960's & 1970's as we reached the moon and beyond.
Our first destination was the rocket and lunar module that made the first trip to the moon. The rocket inside is less than a foot shorter than the building.
Apollo 11, the first lunar module to leave Earth's atmosphere, land on the moon and return safely back through the atmosphere into the ocean. July 20, 1969.
The back of the Saturn V rocket from Apollo 11, this reminds me of the first scene from Star Wars.
Full Saturn V: One big rocket, taller than a 36 story building and at its time, the most powerful rocket ever built.
Where the magic happens. On the left, you see data streaming, in the center you have the space station's path around Earth and to the right you have live views from 4 different cameras on the space station.
In this shot, you can see an Italian scientist working in the lab. The ground handles all technical aspects of what happens at the station so that the focus can be an international push for science once in space.
Around the Houston facility, there are various items commemorating teams that went up, this Beatles / Abbey Road tribute shows a more humorous side to the crews. Notice the photoshopped lunar module on the left side of the street.
Another flight crew shows off their humor. STS9 watch out for your lunar tribute band, STS-134
The original Mission Control situation room, from which the Apollo 11 & Apollo 13 missions were directed.
Ah, technology circa 1969. Can you believe we sent people to the moon and trusted these things?
The status report button in Mission Control--inspired by the colors of the stop light.
Direct line to the President, although the Flight Director is the only one who can say no to the President while crew members are in space.
Brendan seizes the opportunity and prank calls President Obama, ordering a large pepperoni pizza ASAP.
One of the flags that flew on the moon with Neil Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin.
Joel only sees himself when trying to take a picture of the mirror the Apollo 13 crew used to survey damage while in space. Can you find Brendan & Jake?
The Houston-based team celebrates the safe return of Apollo 11 from the moon in 1969.
As a crew nears launch, they have security in place so that no one can touch them or pass on a cold, thus they become "The Untouchables"
A view of the shuttle simulator cockpit, where the crew practices flying.
Underneath the simulator, these crazy-looking hydraulics can simulate turbulence & pressure, but when it makes you sick, that's real.
The facility is laid out just like the real space station, including a replica of the space station's "Colbert treadmill."
We were told the Japanese have a good sense of humor up there, their emblem for their space program captures their humor perfectly.
The Mission Control seal. Thanks for the tour Laura & Eddie, and keep up the good work!
