Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 3.0
Time Pressure; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Procedure; Human Factors; Airspace Structure
I'm not sure if I had standard separation from other aircraft and restricted areas. Aircraft Y checked on assigned 270 knots and I climbed him to 27;000 feet. I told him the rides were better higher and further east; and even though I didn't have radar on aircraft Z; I saw his flight plan at 32;000 feet so I told aircraft Y I could give him 31;000 feet if he wanted it. He said he did; so I climbed him to 31;000 feet with normal speed out of 27;000 feet.Aircraft X checked on climbing very poorly. Aircraft Y had resumed normal speed with a 75 knot overtake. I turned aircraft X 15 degrees left and aircraft Y 5 degrees right and I was going to parallel their routes until aircraft X was above aircraft Y then issue a turn to MOHAK. Aircraft Y got to 31;000 feet and didn't like the ride. I told aircraft X to climb and maintain 35;000 feet hoping to keep the same plan; but with different altitudes. Aircraft X read it back; and didn't object so I climbed aircraft Y to 33;000 feet and issued direct to HOGGZ. I turned aircraft X on a 080 heading. At this time aircraft Z and aircraft A were being handed off to me. I accepted a radar hand off on both; changed aircraft A's code and issued a speed. Additionally restricted areas were active to 39;000 feet; as well as an ATCAA 40;000 feet and below and another restricted area 50;000 feet and below.I kept watching it realizing I had worked myself into a pickle and I was banking on aircraft X making it to 35;000 feet over aircraft Z; aircraft Y; and aircraft A. Aircraft X left 33;000 feet so I turned him to a 095 heading to avoid restricted airspace and it gave me a little more room to get above aircraft A. When it was all said and done I saw it was going to be close between aircraft X and aircraft A. I tried to descend aircraft Y; only to realize that aircraft Z was in the way. I tried to turn aircraft A; only to realize the restricted airspace was hot. So I had to wait until the last possible second; and turned aircraft X a 100 heading; aircraft A to a 280 heading. I issued traffic; told aircraft A that aircraft X was level at 35;000 feet even though he was out of 34;600 feet. I called traffic for aircraft X on aircraft A. I'm not certain that I had 5 miles and a thousand feet between both aircraft; nor am I certain that I kept aircraft A 3 miles from the restricted airspace. It was very scary for me; my hands were tied by my own doing and all I was trying to avoid at that point was a NMAC; or an actual collision. It feels very bad.One thing that could be improved upon is the San Diego arrivals coming from ZAB should be left at altitude. If aircraft A was at 36;000 or 38;000 feet and not forced down unnecessarily; it could have made all the difference in that particular situation; as well as many others like that when we have to parallel aircraft and miss the restricted airspace active both left and right of course.
ZLA Center Controller reported an airborne conflict between enroute aircraft and aircraft in restricted airspace.