Mission Control Staffing (procedures)

Mission Control is the main hub of the mission on Earth from which the all operations are planned and authorized.

Mission Control is run by the Mission Control Commander and overseen by various flight directors.

Scheduling

Scheduling is the duty of the Mission Control Commander.

Staffing

In order to ensure the safety of the astronauts and the completion of the Mission Objectives, Mission Control must be staffed at all times. This is different from Scheduling in that scheduling is pre-mission planning, whereas staffing occurs during the mission with any viable mission controllers at hand.

Scheduling is the duty of the Flight Director.

Minimum Staffing Requirements

The minimum number of Mission Controllers present in Mission Control at any time is three. In the case of fewer than seven Mission Controllers, stations should be assigned based on the Staffing Priority List or doubled up according to the Station Doubling List.

Staffing Crisis

If there are fewer than the minimum number of Mission Control Staff in Mission Control, the Flight Director will declare a Staffing Crisis, and follow the Staffing Crisis Resolution Procedures.

If a staffing crisis has been declared and the staffing crisis resolution procedures have been followed and there are at least the minimum number of Mission Control staff present, then the Flight Director will declare the end of the staffing crisis and follow the Staffing Crisis Normalisation Procedures.

Resolution Procedures

• Verify that positions are allocated according to the Priority List
• Verify that all potential doubled stations have been doubled
• Award the Mission Commander special discretionary powers in accordance with the Astronaut Commander Procedures
• Contact the Mission Control Commander with the details of the Staffing Crisis.

• The Mission Control Commander should proceed to locate more staff for Mission Control.

Normalisation Procedures

• Verify that positions are allocated according to the Priority List
• Inform the Habitat Commander that Mission Control is staffed and that their Special Discretionary Powers are no longer applicable
• Confirm that the Habitat acknowledges Mission Control's reclaimed authority

Mission Control Shift Length

A shift in Mission Control is 20 minutes long. Each shift will begin with a positions and software check, as detailed in LOGS Procedures.

Staffing Priority List

There are 9 posts in Mission Control arranged in priority order:

FLIGHT	Procedures
CAPCOM	Procedures
AUXCOM	Procedures
EECOM	Procedures
ENG	Procedures
FIDO	Procedures
LOGS	Procedures
Mission Scientist	Procedures
Flight Surgeon	Procedures

Notes

Note that Earth Station 1, should it be online, should follow AUXCOM Procedures.

Note that Mission Scientist is not a critical position, and need only be filled when Experiments are taking place.

Note that a Flight Surgeon need not be present in Mission Control at all times. It is sufficient for there to be a SURGEON on-call.

Station Doubling List

If necessary a single person may be permitted to monitor two stations at once following the combinations suggested below:

• AUXCOM and LOGS
• ENG and FIDO