Capsule Communicator

Stephen Robinson as Capcom during STS-103

A capsule communicator , or Capcom for short , is used in manned space travel to connect the astronauts in space and the ground station. Usually people take this position who are astronauts themselves.

With the beginning of US manned space travel, it was important for both NASA and the astronauts to have only one single contact person through whom all communication was channeled. The Capcom sits next to the flight director in the Mission Control Center in the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston . All ground control instructions are sent to the astronauts via the capsule communicator, and the Capcom is also responsible for the daily wake-up calls .

Originally, the nickname for Funk was actually "Capcom". When ground control moved to the Johnson Space Center, it changed to "Houston".

Until 2001, the position of Capcom at NASA was only occupied by astronauts, either by members of the reserve team of the respective mission or by participants from previous missions. Experienced engineers and trainers are now also used for this task.

Web links

Columbus control center: Europe's first "Capcom". DLR, December 4, 2006, archived from the original on January 25, 2017 ; Retrieved December 17, 2012 .

Individual evidence

^ CAPCOM: Capsule Communicator. (No longer available online.) NASA, archived from the original on November 20, 2012 ; accessed on December 17, 2012 (English): “Until 2001, only astronauts were assigned to CAPCOM duties. Now, highly experienced engineers and trainers have been selected to serve as CAPCOM for the ISS. "

[1] CAPCOM: Capsule Communicator. (No longer available online.) NASA, archived from the original on November 20, 2012 ; accessed on December 17, 2012 (English): “Until 2001, only astronauts were assigned to CAPCOM duties. Now, highly experienced engineers and trainers have been selected to serve as CAPCOM for the ISS. "