MISSION MOON
Apollo’s nerve center restored ‘even down to the smallest detail’
Our special anniversary coverage of the July 20, 1969, moon landing continues today with a look at famed Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center.
There was energy in the air, a spark of electricity hinting at a magical past, even though the room itself was starting to fall apart. Many years had passed since crews were glued to their seats in the Apollo-era Mission Control Center in Houston, since NASA engineers anxiously monitored the first steps on the moon and guided the previous operations it took to get there.
Now the dust had settled — and mission control functions moved to other rooms, equipped with newer technology.
Since the Apollo-era Mission Control Center was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1985, it had begun to deteriorate.
“It was just in complete disrepair,” said Sandra Tetley, Johnson Space Center’s historic preservation officer.
But she refused to let that be an obstacle — and she wasn’t alone.
The National Parks Service, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Space Center Houston, the Texas Historical Commission and the Manned Spaceflight Operations Association eventually would join together to turn this space around.
They were all on a mission to save Mission Control.
“This has been, by far, the biggest project of my career, hands down,” Tetley said.
The multiple-year restoration that ensued was unveiled June 30 just in time for Space Center Houston’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20, 1969.
Countdown commences
“We live in Space City,” said William Harris, CEO at Space Center Houston. “This is so important for Houston and for our region.”
The Mission Control Center has a special place in the hearts of Houstonians, he said. It’s also a landmark and destination for visitors from around the world.
This was also in the days before personal computers, however, and when technology improved, the old Mission Control room quickly grew out of date. While some work on repairs were completed through the years, it was not enough to stop the room from decline.
Tetley would go to the room from time to time and dream about bringing it back to its former glory.
“You just knew it was a special place, even in disrepair,” she said. “I felt moved to do something. I wanted to bring it back to life.”
In 2013, Tetley received a grant from the National Park Service to produce a film about Mission Control, which visitors could watch during tours. The park service then became interested in the general restoration of the room and provided her with another grant for the “Historic Furnishings Survey,” an in-depth analysis to prepare for an accurate historic restoration.
By August 2014, the park service held a workshop on restoring the Mission Control Center. Others — including retired NASA flight director Gene Kranz, retired NASA flight controller Ed Fendell, former Mission Control director Dr. Christopher Kraft and former flight director Gerry Griffin — got on board.
These members of the Apollo Flight Operations Association, now Manned Spaceflight Operations Association, became vocal proponents of the restoration project.
A pricey restoration
Space Center Houston launched a $5 million fundraising campaign, adding enough for a cushion and visitor experience programming. The city of Webster pledged a $3.5 million gift, reserving $400,000 of that as seed money for matching funds.
Space Center Houston, which attracts visitors year round to Webster, called it the “Webster Challenge” and used Kickstarter to spread the word. The initial goal was $250,000.
“In 30 days, we raised $507,000,” Harris said.
Because NASA cannot accept donations with a targeted purpose, the funds were accepted through the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, an independent federal agency that promotes historic preservation projects.
Last October, Space Center hosted a full luncheon “To the Moon and Beyond” to honor Kranz. The event raised an additional $300,000 for the restoration.
The remaining funds were raised through philanthropic gifts.
Lifting off
Tetley said it was then time to start with a deep, forensic study of everything.
“That’s when our plans really came together,” she said. “The amount of hours my contractors spend studying photos and imagery, you just have no idea.”
Everything from paint color to consul buttons were examined. Contractors held a magnifying glass to all of the details and accessories and interviewed flight controllers about which maps they had on deck and which brands of cigarettes they smoked.
Ayuda, out of Denver, was selected as project management contractor. Gravitate served in preservation and technical project management, while Stern and Bucek Architects headed restoration design.
Cosmophere worked on console restoration, while Audio Video Guys contracted sound and visual design. Basic Builders served as general contractor, and Jhonny Langer with Source Historical Services headed paint and finish restoration.
The team also included Carma, for 3D laser scanning, Textile Preservation Services of Texas for textile restoration and Steven Pine, Art Conservation Consulting for wood restoration.
Two unexpected discoveries wound up being integral to the project, Tetley said.
Underneath a pneumatic tube, a stretch of original carpet remained, allowing contractors to recreate the original carpet. Behind a fire extinguisher, a parcel of original wallpaper remained; the original supplier found the old pattern in a warehouse.
“It was like finding dinosaur bones,” Tetley said.
Officials are proud of the results.
“It’s historically accurate,” Tetley said. “It’s beautiful — even down to the smallest detail.”
“You just knew it was a special place, even in disrepair. I felt moved to do something. I wanted to bring it back to life.”
— Sandra Tetley, Johnson Space Center’s historic preservation officer