Husband.

Father.

Grandfather.

Space Cadet.


Hi! I’m Roger Balettie.

Thanks for popping in for a quick look around.

This website has evolved over the years, originally hosted on AOL back in the days of dial-up internet access! Eventually, I moved onto my own domain and hand-crafted HTML. I also transferred the site to WordPress and the Divi theme as my starting points.

I’ve updated the parts and pieces over time, but the core bits have always been there and really define who I am.

I’ve been blessed to travel to many places around the world, I’ve taken lots of photos from so many events, and I’ve always been proud of my former career and ongoing life-long passion for manned spaceflight exploration.

Most importantly, though, I’m a proud father to two great kids, father-in-law to their spouses, and OVERLY PROUD Grandpa to my little buddy, Cole, and my new little princess, Shiloh!

What else can I tell you about myself?

I’m a Longhorn… a proud graduate of The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering. I’m sure that if you cut me, I’d bleed burnt orange. 🙂

I’ve had two significantly different career segments. After graduating with my Bachelor’s Degree, I started my first career in my dream job at NASA. I wanted to be an astronaut, but my mild color-blindness issue prevented that. I did, however, find myself as the next best thing – a Flight Dynamics Officer in the Space Shuttle Mission Control Center!

I went on to earn my Master’s Degree in Physical/Space Science from the University of Houston, Clear Lake.

Since leaving NASA, my second career has allowed me to exploit my love of software development and computer technology and combine that with the leadership skills and experience I gained in the MCC. While I did not serve in the military, I now have more than 20 years of Program and Project Management leadership roles.  I spent a great deal of time devoted to supporting our Warfighters by leading and being part of numerous teams developing and fielding critical software capabilities that meet nationally-defined objectives.  Since then, I’ve worked both commercial and State of Texas government projects.  Each of them have been challenging, interesting, and I’ve made number of good friends!

I also started my own company, Balettie Consulting, Inc., and I am fortunate to continue to expand my career goals while having more direct control of my own destiny.

Balettie Consulting, Inc.

“Project Management doesn’t have to be Rocket Science!”

Random Ramjet Ramblings

Various thoughts and musings that tumble from my brain onto Ye Olde Interwebbes.
Last 4 blog posts:
50 Years

50 Years

The Artemis I mission occurred 50 years after Apollo 17. What will it take to not have this happen again?

Becoming Santa

Becoming Santa

Santa Claus. Father Christmas. Kris Kringle. St. Nicholas. Papa Noel. Me.

13 Minutes – a podcast review

13 Minutes – a podcast review

“13 Minutes to the Moon” – an excellent BBC podcast focusing on the behind-the-scenes heroes of Apollo 11 and Apollo 13.

Select the button to go straight to the main photo album or choose one of the categories below.

Vacation Photos

Our Family

Random photos

Family Events

Texas Football

Lake Travis

-THE TRENCH-
FLIGHT DYNAMICS OFFICER
MISSION CONTROL
BLOG

-THE TRENCH-

The space exploration advocacy website of Roger Balettie, former Flight Dynamics Officer in NASA’s Space Shuttle Mission Control Center.

Select a menu tab to the left for detailed links or one of the main sections below:

FLIGHT DYNAMICS OFFICER

The Flight Dynamics Officer (FDO, pronounced “fido”) is a Flight Controller in the Mission Control Center responsible for the overall trajectory, or flight path, of the Space Shuttle and all related payloads or other space-bound vehicles associated with the Shuttle.

Read about the:

MISSION CONTROL

"Houston… Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed."

Since 1965, the Mission Control Center (MCC) has been the nerve center for America’s manned space program.

-THE TRENCH- blog

Space- and NASA-based blog entries.

Last 3 blog posts:
50 Years

50 Years

The Artemis I mission occurred 50 years after Apollo 17. What will it take to not have this happen again?

13 Minutes – a podcast review

13 Minutes – a podcast review

“13 Minutes to the Moon” – an excellent BBC podcast focusing on the behind-the-scenes heroes of Apollo 11 and Apollo 13.

Countdown

Countdown

It’s been 40 years since the launch of STS-1, and the excitement of that day never faded.