Mission Control Staffing (procedures)
| OCESS Procedures Manual |
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| Table of Contents |
| Document Usage |
| Missions |
| Common Positions |
| Mission Control Staff |
| Habitat |
| Engineering |
| Flight (chapter) |
| Habitat Activities |
| Experiments |
| Emergency |
| Alpha 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.
Contents
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- Inform the Habitat Commander that Mission Control is staffed and that their Special Discretionary Powers are no longer applicable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 8 posts in Mission Control that should be staffed at all times, arranged in priority order:
There are 6 temporary posts in Mission Control that should be staffed only during certain events:
- AUXCOM, CAPCOM failiure
- GNC, takeoff or landing
- NETWORK, mission set-up, network failure
- SURGEON, medical emergency, biomeds, special request
- SCIENCE, experiments, special request
- OBSERVER, special request
Notes
Note that Earth Station 1, should it be online, should follow AUXCOM Procedures.
Note that there must always be at least one SURGEON on call at all times.
Note that the OVERSEER should not be doubled with any other duties and operates outside of the normal Mission Control hierarchy.
Station Doubling List
If necessary a single person may be permitted to monitor two stations at once following the combinations suggested below:
- LOGS and FAO
- ENG and FIDO
- If necessary: ENG and FIDO and EECOM
