Episode 37: NASA Mission Control Flight Director Ed Van Cise
From Space Camp to Mission Control! Ed Van Cise shares with Beth:
Becoming a Space Camp Hall of Fame Honoree and meeting his childhood hero astronaut Charlie Duke
Details regarding the many job responsibilities the NASA Mission Control Flight Director has, getting to crew to space safely and back home safely is always the first priority.
Big and small success that are worth celebrating- and learning from- during days/ nights on the International Space Station
Quotes from Ed Van Cise here:
About becoming a Flight Director:
“Let me dispel a myth, you don’t have to have an engineering degree to sit in mission control, to sit at a counsel that’s responsible for power systems, you don’t have to be an electrical engineer either. You will need a lot of reading, teamwork, communications skills, then on to a mission control boot camp with integrated simulations and eventually you will get certified for working in mission control. And you keep on learning as you’re working in mission control. No day is the same.”
About the amount of preparation needed:
“The amount of training you do- the amount of advanced knowledge- sometimes you know exactly what’s going to happen, and sometimes you’re at the mercy of just how the day goes. The way we tend to handle things-a lot of our training – from all of the data from what people are telling us and what the computers are showing us, it’s about having enough mental bandwith to make sense of it- is to just flex with it all and adjust accordingly.”
About meeting his childhood hero NASA astronaut and moonwalker Charlie Duke:
“Charlie Duke would come to Space Camp and speak to the students and I was inspired. I would read his book and listen to his words, and set up a path that mirrored his, while following my path. I could always point back to what started it all to Charlie Duke at Space Camp”
About sparking the next generation:
“I enjoy talking to younger generations about how they can be involved in space exploration. I share examples about how to work through and around challenges, and how to stay focused, just like what Charlie Duke did for me. I try to share my stories to convey what the potential can be for young students, and you never know who you might influence, impact or inspire and it’s fun to share these stories. We’re going to be sending people out farther and farther away, and we’re going to need great people here in mission control to help make those missions successful.”
At 17: 08, about working in the space exploration industry:
“When people talk to me and know about an engineering background- they might think that space is cool but they’re not really into math or science so [they think] it means they can’t be involved, so I really try to emphasize that’s not the case. If you’re interested in space, we need people that do everything from fashion designers to scientists to culinary experts to people in the arts, just pursue your passion and then find a way to make it work within space flight! Find whatever makes you feel alive and take advantage of the skills that you have!”
“If you’re 18 years or younger, you’ve experienced a life where there’s always been people living off the planet.”
About Ed:
Right Stuff” recipient Ed Van Cise knew before his trip to Space Camp® that NASA would be the where of his future. But it was Apollo 16 Moonwalker Charlie Duke’s presentation at Camp that led him to the how and what. Van Cise left that week knowing that he wanted to be an Aerospace Engineer, and eventually work at Johnson Space Center in Mission Control. And not long after, that is exactly where he was.
Van Cise committed to his path and is currently the 78th Flight Director in NASA’s history. Since taking the call sign “Carbon Flight,” Ed has worked as Lead Flight Director for several different aspects of the International Space Station.
Edward Van Cise methodically pursued his dream, earning awards and commendations for leadership, as well as respect from his peers. He continues that dream, today, fully dedicated to NASA and the future of human space exploration.
Where to find Ed Van Cise: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi_9j25Niv2NBm7L3pqbKrIkSdR53UeF9
and more information about NASA Flight Directors and Mission Control:
https://www.nasa.gov and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8aWXJeh9R4
