NASA Mission Control: Photos of the past and present at Johnson Space Center

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Welcome to Mission Control

TechRepublic visited NASA's Johnson Space Center to see how Mission Control has changed over the years.
NASA's Mission Control Center is located at the Johnson Space Center and has a long and storied history. It's been in the same building (building 30) since 1965's Gemini IV mission.
SEE: NASA shows the world its 20-year virtual reality experiment to train astronauts: The inside story

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
Historic Mission Control

The original Mission Control has been preserved and is a national landmark. That means everything, down to the stains on the carpet are original.
SEE: NASA shows the world its 20-year virtual reality experiment to train astronauts: The inside story

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
Another view of historic Mission Control

NASA monitored historic missions like Apollo 11's journey to the moon from this room.
SEE: NASA shows the world its 20-year virtual reality experiment to train astronauts: The inside story

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
Mission Control console

The room was last operational in 1995.
SEE: NASA shows the world its 20-year virtual reality experiment to train astronauts: The inside story

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
Buttons, screens, and dials

According to the Johnson Space Center site, "there's more technology in a modern watch than there was in this room in 1969."
SEE: NASA shows the world its 20-year virtual reality experiment to train astronauts: The inside story

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
A closer look

Here's a closer look at the consoles that helped get humankind to the moon.
SEE: NASA shows the world its 20-year virtual reality experiment to train astronauts: The inside story

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
Before email

In the days before email, Mission Control used pneumatic tubes to deliver messages. Also, if they wanted to print something, it happened at another location and got sent back to them.
SEE: NASA shows the world its 20-year virtual reality experiment to train astronauts: The inside story

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
Literally, an inside look

Here are the guts inside one of the Mission Control consoles.
SEE: NASA shows the world its 20-year virtual reality experiment to train astronauts: The inside story

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
Modern day Mission Control

Mission Control looks much different these days.
SEE: NASA shows the world its 20-year virtual reality experiment to train astronauts: The inside story

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
Always on call

Flight control teams are on duty the proverbial 24/7/365 since there's always astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
SEE: NASA shows the world its 20-year virtual reality experiment to train astronauts: The inside story

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic
A lot to control

Mission Control also has other control rooms, like this secondary room.
Also see
Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

Welcome to Mission Control

TechRepublic visited NASA's Johnson Space Center to see how Mission Control has changed over the years.

NASA's Mission Control Center is located at the Johnson Space Center and has a long and storied history. It's been in the same building (building 30) since 1965's Gemini IV mission.

SEE: NASA shows the world its 20-year virtual reality experiment to train astronauts: The inside story

Image: Erin Carson/TechRepublic

By Erin Carson

Erin Carson is a Staff Reporter for CNET and a former Multimedia Editor for TechRepublic.

Welcome to Mission Control

Historic Mission Control

Another view of historic Mission Control

Mission Control console

Buttons, screens, and dials

A closer look

Before email

Literally, an inside look

Modern day Mission Control

Always on call

A lot to control

Also see

Welcome to Mission Control

By Erin Carson

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