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.
But, when we officially transitioned to the new Shuttle FCR, FCR-1 was kept intact as a (unofficial) historical monument to the many Shuttle missions flown from there (along with the Apollo 7, Skylab, and Apollo-Soyuz missions). FCR-2, upstairs from FCR-1, was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1985 and remains in the Apollo configuration to this day.
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.

Just recently, the MCC-21 project gutted and transformed the White FCR from the Shuttle configuration to a new set of hardware (and desks).
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...
If only we had a well-funded space program that was worthy of the legacy that we forged there...

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.