The Mission Control Centre (MCC) is the location from which a satellite is controlled.

It is composed of Consoles, each stafffed by one or more specialists, monitoring one aspect of the execution of the mission.

The control centre is usually most active during launch and commissioning operations. Once the spacecraft settles into routing operations, it may be staffed by a single engineer, responsible for routine operations during working hours, and left unstaffed most of the time.

A control centre might include some of the following specialists

• flight dynamics or guidance, depending on the phase of the flight (responsible for ensuring that the spacecraft is going where it needs to);
• propulsion (responsible for the safe operation of the propulsion system);
• GNC (responsible for the sensors on the spacecraft that determine its attitude, and the actuators used to correct it);
• communications & telemetry (responsible for the system that receive telemetry, and send telecommands).

Manned space missions may add specialists to the control centre

• the Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM), the only person allowed to talk to the astronauts;
• life-support (responsible for the state of the life-support equipment producing oxygen, water, ... and reprocessing waste);
• the flight surgeon (responsible for the astronaut's health).

The most famous Mission Control Centre is undoubtedly Houston, used during the Apollo program and later space shuttle flights.

ESA operates its own mission control centres to operate its spacecraft, such as the Columbus Control Centre (Col-CC) in Munich and ESOC in Darmstaadt. ^[1].

Partner agencies and private companies also operate their own Mission Control Centres to operate their own payloads.