>> Two, one, booster ignition.
>> [ Music ]
>> Gemini Four was the first time that this center was in
charge of the mission.
That made a statement at that time.
It said okay, by golly we're ready to go.
>> I think the control center would be the symbol of what we
did in the human space program.
It was our place where we came in to execute the missions that
we had planned.
>> Mission Control is at the heartbeat of any space
operations program.
>> It's a place full of giants, and I will tell you why.
The last man on the moon, Gene Cernan, often referred to the
men and women in Mission Control and the people around Mission
Control.
>> We were riding and standing on their shoulders.
And they indeed are giants in American history.
>> One of the things that was done very early was Gene Kranz
brought the team together and told everybody, "I want you to
go back to your offices, I want you on your black boards to put
tough and competent.
And I don't want you to erase those two words."
>> We're programming our culture.
And that's what our culture is.
It's achievement through excellence.
It's leadership.
It's teamwork.
It's being part of a bigger team and your contribution to that
team.
>> When we face challenges we need to leverage the entire team
in order to overcome those challenges.
>> You've got to maintain vigilance throughout the entire
time of doing this very risky business.
We've had three major accidents in this business.
Apollo One fire.
We had the loss of Challenger.
We had the loss of Columbia.
You can't set those things aside.
But if you do set them aside for a little bit and you think about
all the other missions that we have flown humans in space.
There hasn't been a single mission flown that there wasn't
something that had to be done differently during the mission.
We've had to change plans.
Some of them were major, some were more minor.
But in all cases the team on the ground, in Mission Control and
around Mission Control, and the international partners when they
were involved as well.
Every time there was a problem on these missions we have found
a way to solve the problem and complete the mission.
>> Since the retirement of shuttle, the completion of space
station, we've transitioned into a mode where our station is an
operating outpost rather than just being in maintenance mode.
We're definitely utilized in space station every day, every
weekend even in many cases.
>> The operations environment in which we work is significantly
different.
When you're trying to maintain a permanent human presence and a
laboratory in space as opposed to a vehicle that is launched
into orbit to execute a very short mission.
>> Space station is a team.
And you know, it's almost a little more of a difficult team
then what folks just in your own home country are used to.
Because on the station you've got an international team.
>> There are a number of different Mission Control
centers that must communicate and work well together in order
to support the International Space Station.
>> ESA, JAXA, Russia, Canada, our science center in Marshall
Space Flight Center, and all providing input into MCC
Houston.
And the job, the core job of Houston is obviously protecting
the astronauts, protecting the vehicle, achieving the mission
objective.
>> And as an astronaut it makes you feel really good.
Because you feel like someone is looking at every little tiny
number all the time.
>> Whether it's the piece of equipment, whether it's the crew
inside or the tasks that are out in front of them, are all being,
all the details are being thought, well some guy or gal is
executing.
>> So when you go to sleep at night you should feel very safe
and very secure that you are being watched after all the
time.
>> Really bringing different parts of NASA together.
The science community and the ops community together to go
accomplish a huge mission.
>> That's way out has a lot of capability.
>> Such that okay, it's another platform.
Again these small steps to get you to your common goal.
And that common goal is getting to Mars.
>> Going forward, Mission Control is going to be crucial
to any nature exploration operation.
>> Houston, Tranquility Base here, the eagle has landed.
>> Roger Tranquility.
We copy you on the ground.
We've got a bunch of guys about to turn blue.
We're breathing again.
Thanks a lot.