Just like your modern car dashboard manned spacecraft have elaborate Instrument panels for operation, computing and guidance. Historically these have become much more elaborate over time and they monitor and control a vast army of instruments. Take a look at these historic panels and the increased complexity over the years.

US

MERCURY

mercury instrument panel (click to enlarge) – image credit: NASA History Program

GEMINI

gemini instrument panel (click to enlarge) – image credit: NASA History Program

APOLLO

Command Module

apollo-CM-instrument-panel (click to enlarge) – image credit NASA History Program

Lunar Module

apollo-LM-instrument-panel (click to enlarge) – Image Credit NASA History program

SPACE SHUTTLE

Discovery Instrument Panel (click to enlarge)

SOVIET/RUSSIA

VOSTOK

Vostok Instrument panel

SOYUZ

Soyuz Instrument panel – credit :Russian Central House of Aviation

BURAN -(Mock-up)

Never actually Manned but designed for eventual manned flight.Buran instruments mock-up – image credit: Russian Central House of  Aviation

China

SHENZHOU

Shenzhou 6 interior – image credit: http://www.astronautix.com/flights/shezhou6.htm

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