What does a mission control center primarily oversee during a space mission?

The mission control center is the nerve center of a space mission, responsible for overseeing and coordinating all aspects of the mission. This includes monitoring the spacecraft's status, managing communications between the crew and ground, ensuring adherence to timelines, making real-time decisions based on the mission's progress, and adjusting operational plans as needed.

This comprehensive oversight enables timely responses to any issues that arise, whether they are technical problems, changes in mission objectives, or unanticipated situational adjustments. While the launch site preparations, navigational adjustments, and public relations are certainly important components of space missions, they fall under the broader umbrella of mission coordination activities supervised by the mission control center. Thus, the answer accurately reflects the central role that mission control plays in maintaining the overall effectiveness and safety of the entire space mission.