Progress marches on… but it still can be sad sometimes
I spent 12 years of my professional career at NASA in the Space Shuttle Mission Control Center (MCC) as a Flight Dynamics Officer, split between the Apollo-era Flight Control Room (FCR-1 or FCR-2, depending on which floor you were on) and the new-at-the-time upgraded Shuttle FCR (known as the “White FCR”).
During that transition, I was on the FDO team that worked our console requirements, display upgrades, space allocations, etc.
To support the International Space Station (ISS) program, FCR-1 was completely gutted and transformed into the current ISS FCR-1, removing the consoles (and the history) of that FCR that saw so many Space Shuttle missions.
When the Shuttle program came to an end with STS-135, the White FCR really served no direct purpose, as NASA had (for various budgetary and political reasons) not settled on or funded a follow-on program.
In 2012, a new upgrade program, called MCC-21, began upgrading the White FCR Multi-Purpose Support Rooms (MPSRs) that house support personnel for the Flight Controllers in the White FCR.
To support the International Space Station (ISS) program, FCR-1 was completely gutted and transformed into the current ISS FCR-1, removing the consoles (and the history) of that FCR that saw so many Space Shuttle missions.
When the Shuttle program came to an end with STS-135, the White FCR really served no direct purpose, as NASA had (for various budgetary and political reasons) not settled on or funded a follow-on program.
In 2012, a new upgrade program, called MCC-21, began upgrading the White FCR Multi-Purpose Support Rooms (MPSRs) that house support personnel for the Flight Controllers in the White FCR.
Gone are the iconic two-tone blue consoles of the Space Shuttle program… replaced by nondescript wooden desks and flat-panel monitors.
From the back it looks pretty cool…

It’s kind of sad. It was nice that you were able to share that moment of hirsoty with your son. I remember sitting with my family in the living room the day that we landed on the moon. Unforgettable. Thanks for posting.