NASA Brings Back Some Nostalgia with Apollo-Era Mission Control Operations Room

As you probably know, this year marks the 50^th anniversary of the moon landing, which means that space enthusiasts are feeling highly nostalgic.  We don’t need to get too deep into the significance of this legendary mission as its effects are still felt today, a full half-decade later. 

With this anniversary has come the reopening of the Apollo Mission Control Operations Room 2 which once served as the setting for one of the most groundbreaking missions in space exploration history.  What historians have managed to pull off is a flawless and 100 percent accurate room complete with the legendary consoles, monitors and other equipment.  Additionally, every decorative detail is completely spot-on including the carpets and wallpaper.

What is the Apollo Mission Control Operations Room 2?

The Apollo Mission Control Operations Room 2 was initially constructed and outfitted in order to be a location in which NASA specialists could guide astronauts through their missions, including the famous moon landing operation.  Interestingly, it remained a functional control operations room used by NASA until the 1990s when it was eventually replaced, allowing the historic room to be open to the public.  However, it eventually closed due to a lack of funds needed to maintain the equipment and cleanliness, only to be reopened just in time for the 50^th anniversary of the moon landing.

Historians have spared no expense perfectly replicating the room down to a tee.  In fact, they’ve done such an impressive job that Gene Kranz, the former director of NASA flight operations during that era, couldn’t believe his eyes when he first observed all of the hard work that had been done.  He gave his approval, thus validating all of the effort that went into the restoration project.

Extremely intricate details include ashtrays and coffee cups that are exact replicas of what had been in the room 50 years ago.  One change that had to be made, however, was replacing CRTs in the console with LCDs.  The LCDs now permanently display the data that would have been shown as the moon landing was taking place. 

Why Has NASA Done This?

The 50^th anniversary of the moon landing is quite a big deal, not just for NASA but for the United States of America.  The race to the moon was about more than space exploration as it was an opportunity for a variety of countries to compete for the special privilege of putting the first man on the moon.  The landing represents our incredible ingenuity in space travel, and the fact that we as a country have continued to make significant contributions to space discovery.

The moon landing took place during a turbulent time in our nation’s history, and brought Americans together for a single night so that they could observe such a groundbreaking event.  Commemorating the anniversary by reopening the Apollo Control Operations Room 2 allows us to relive that experience and learn from it once again.  Hopefully, this time it will remain open to the public for a long time to come.

Step Back in Time

With the reopening of the Apollo Era Mission Control Operations Room 2, tourists can step back in time and experience one of the most significant events in United States history.  Thanks to the incredible efforts on behalf of historians, the room is a perfect replica of what it once was.