NASA FOCUS Lab Operations Manual

Abstract

In 2010, Dr. Paul Craig, an aerospace professor at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), was awarded two National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) grants to create the NASA Flight Operations Center – Unified Simulation (FOCUS) Lab. Although the NASA FOCUS Lab has a solid reputation for preparing MTSU’s aerospace students for the aviation industry, the current quality of the lab is in jeopardy due to the high rate of lab staff turnover occurring within two years and lack of documentation that explains how to successfully operate the lab. Therefore, the NASA FOCUS Lab Operations Manual has been created, which contains information and procedures on how to successfully operate the lab that new and current lab staff members can study and consult while performing their roles during a simulation. Ultimately, the operations manual will sustain the current quality of the lab, prevent critical mistakes, and provide continuity when the staff turnover occurs.