{
  "id": 669073,
  "title": "Commercial launch Control Center",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/commercial-launch-control-center",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-12T14:02:28.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "NASA Science",
    "slug": "nasa-science",
    "url": "https://www.nasa.gov/commercial-launch-control-center/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KSC's Launch Control Center, situated adjacent to the Vehicle Assembly Building, commemorates its 50-year history of supporting launches. Firing Room 4 within the center provides external customers with four dedicated Multi-user Rooms, each functioning independently and capable of supporting both NASA and commercial launch and vehicle operations. The state-of-the-art facilities can handle multiple operations concurrently, thanks to eight-foot-high walls dividing the areas and interconnecting doors allowing users to access additional space when necessary. These spaces can accommodate up to four distinct users or a single user occupying multiple spaces as required. The renovation of this former Space Shuttle Launch Control Room, overseen by KSC's Exploration Ground Systems (EGS), began in November 2013. The main floor launch consoles were eliminated, along with all shuttle-era cables and wiring beneath the floor. The space has been equipped with energy-efficient LED lighting, sound-absorbing ceiling tiles, acoustic wall covering, and new carpet for privacy and noise reduction. EGS manages the firing rooms and ensures that NASA and customers' needs are met, aiming to provide flexible space for various users on a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly basis. Customers can bring their own systems and equipment, connecting to existing external communications infrastructure. Firing Room 4 includes active sound suppression, security access control, raised flooring, HVAC, humidity control, fire detection and suppression systems, 480V, 3-phase power at 60Hz, 120V, 30amp, and access to NASA communications infrastructure. A large viewing window faces the launch pads. In June 2015, Firing Room 4 supported NASA's Resource Prospector (RP) payload team for the first time, accommodating the Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatiles Extraction (RESOLVE) payload team for simulation operations, flight simulations, the flight mission, and the entire RESOLVE payload.",
  "summary": "Launch Control Center – Firing Room 4 KSC’s Launch Control Center, located next to the Vehicle Assembly Building, continues its 50-year legacy of supporting launches, with state-of-the-art systems available in four separate control rooms. External customers can take advantage of Firing Room 4’s four Multi-user Rooms. Each is a separately controlled area that can serve […] The post Commercial…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}