During Sally Ride EarthKAM missions, the MOC is staffed by the following positions:
- Director (Chief)
The Chief oversees all the activities of the MOC during missions and coordinates between the various teams. In addition, the Chief serves as the liaison between the Sally Ride EarthKAM MOC and Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas. The Chief also transfers the Camera Control Files (CCFs) to JSC.
- Orbit Propagator (Orbits)
The Orbits Team receives state vectors — XYZ coordinates and velocities — from the Johnson Space Center. Using sophisticated orbit propagation software, the team determines the orbit tracks of the ISS and the area over Earth that is suitable for pictures.
- Payload Monitor (Payloads)
The Payloads Team tracks the status of the Electronic Still Camera (ESC), monitors communication abilities with the International Space Station, and electronically receives the images once they have been taken. The team generates general annotations, identifying the GMT, latitude, and longitude for each of the images.
- Mission Scheduler (MOoS)
After receiving image requests from middle schools, the MOos Team verifies the requests using internal software and publishes updates on the Web pages to notify schools of upcoming problems or changes. The team is responsible for creating the Camera Control Files (CCFs) that determine what images will be taken and when.
- Schools
The Schools Team manages the participating middle schools during the mission by providing codewords for image requests, answering questions, providing help, and keeping students and schools up to date on the status of the Sally Ride EarthKAM mission.
