Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death.

The heart and brain of NASA’s space shuttle operation resided at the Johnson Space Center near Houston, Texas. It was there that astronauts underwent training and learned to perform the tasks they would carry out while in orbit. The Center was the location of the command center from which NASA provided instructions to the flight crew during launch and communicated with them during orbit, thus providing a significant link to Earth while the crew was in space. 

Director of Flight Operations George Abbey played a central role in NASA’s operations and came to be well-known to all personnel. Each would-be astronaut set out to make a good impression on him during the interview process and then to earn his respect and praise as their expertise increased. He demanded hard work and held high standards for the astronauts, but he cared about each of his team as individuals. As the crew prepared for launch, Abbey was the liaison between NASA and the astronauts’ family members, who came to rely on him as a source of wisdom and trusted his expertise. After the Challenger disaster, Abbey carried a great deal of guilt and grief at the loss of his friends.