User-Driven Collaboration for NASA Mission Control

NASA Ames, in conjunction with the Johnson Space Center (JSC), is building a platform to enable mission control operations software to be assembled from flexible collections of components and services. MCT is designed to support rapid creation, composition, visualization, and certification of user objects, while using social media techniques to help communicate, categorize, and analyze the massive amount of data and complex processes required for space flight operations. Since its initial deployment, MCT has helped spur collaboration within and across NASA centers, allowing different teams to work together on the shared goal of safe space flight. Flight controllers at JSC are assembling, tagging, searching, and visualizing telemetry. Software developers are extending the platform by integrating new data sources and analysis capabilities while reusing high-level functionality, such as scalable real-time plotting. Finally, the process of adopting MCT across NASA centers has opened communication channels through shared software development, feature design, and work practices.