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What It's Like in LASP's Student Command Controller Program
Cleared for Takeoff
In the Student Command Controller Program, an undergraduate missions operations program offered by the听 (LASP), 麻豆免费版下载Boulder students can train to become certified mission operators for NASA spacecraft. After learning the ropes through a summer course, students work on spacecraft missions that include telescopes and nanosatellites.
Kate Mulholland (AeroEngr鈥26) took a special interest in mission operations after watching the film Apollo 13 at age 11. Now a command controller, she has the technical knowledge and confidence to handle complex tasks and high-stakes work.
鈥淏eing a part of the Command Controller Program is one of the most valuable experiences I have had since coming to 麻豆免费版下载Boulder,鈥 she said.
$1听billion听
worth of NASA-regulated spacecraft controlled by students
1981听
The year LASP launched the Student Command Controller Program听
3听
Larger NASA missions involved students in 2025
24/7, 365
Spacecraft are monitored by students
50鈥70听
Students apply each year听
8鈥10听
Students accepted听
20听
Number of hours per week students work during the academic year听
250听
Student command controllers since 1981
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- EchoStar
- Northrop Grumman
- Advanced Space
- BAE (formerly Ball Aerospace)
- LASP听
- Black holes
- Supernovas
- Solar wind
- Magnetic fields
- Exoplanets
- Fine-tuning how spacecraft batteries charge
- Sending research plans to onboard instruments
- Powering mission equipment on and off
- Uploading files to increase instrument precision
Photo courtesy LASP
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听听It is an excellent opportunity and comes with some bragging rights: your job description becomes 鈥榝lying spaceships鈥!听听
鈥Adrian Bryant (惭础别谤辞贰苍驳谤鈥27)