Launch status check

For greater details on NASA flight control personnel, see Flight controller.

A launch status check, also known as a "go/no go poll" and several other terms occurs at the beginning of an American spaceflight mission in which flight controllers monitoring various systems are queried for operation and readiness status before a launch can proceed. For space shuttle missions, in the firing room at the Launch Control Center, the NASA Test Director (NTD) performed this check via a voice communications link with other NASA personnel. The NTD was the leader of the shuttle test team responsible for directing and integrating all flight crew, orbiter, external tank/solid rocket booster and ground support testing in the shuttle launch countdown. The NTD was also responsible for the safety of all personnel inside the pad after external tank loading, including the flight crew. He reported to the Launch Director.[1] The Launch director declares if a mission is go for launch.

Checklist of firing room positions

Space Shuttle

Apollo missions

In the Apollo program, the launch status check was initiated by the Flight Director, or FLIGHT. The following "preflight check" order was used before the launch of Apollo 13:[7]

Other/Unmanned spaceflight

Varies depending on the type of mission and model of craft, here is one example:[8]

Video, audio and transcripts

Video recordings

Text transcripts

See also

References

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