About Roger
A Life Well Traveled.
Traveler. Photographer. Storyteller.
Husband. Father. Grandfather.
Former NASA Flight Controller.
A collector of moments, not things.
Hello! I'm Roger Balettie.
I never really intended this website to become what it is today.
What began (literally) decades ago as a simple personal webpage has evolved into something much larger: a collection of journeys, photographs, memories, stories, and experiences gathered over a lifetime of curiosity.
Some of those experiences took me into NASA's Space Shuttle Mission Control Center.
Others carried me through villages in England, mountains in Colorado, fjords in Norway, the coast of Cape Cod, and into places I had dreamed of seeing since my youth.
This website exists to preserve those moments and share them with anyone who enjoys exploring the world as much as I do.
Why I Travel
I've always been fascinated by places.
- Not simply destinations, but the stories behind them.
- The history hidden in an old churchyard.
- The view from a mountain summit.
- The quiet moments at sunset.
- The realization that the world is simultaneously far larger and far smaller than we imagine.
Travel reminds me that there is always something new to learn and somewhere new to explore.
Photography
Photography changed the way I see.
The camera taught me to slow down.
To notice details.
To wait for better light.
To appreciate moments that would otherwise pass unnoticed.
Many of the photographs throughout the site are simply records of places we've visited. Others are reminders of experiences we'll never forget.
Then there was NASA
12 Years in Mission Control.
For twelve years, I worked as a Flight Dynamics Officer in NASA's Space Shuttle Mission Control Center.
I originally dreamed of becoming an astronaut, but life had other plans.
Instead, I found myself helping oversee missions from the ground, supporting launches, landings, rendezvous operations, and everything in between.
The experience shaped how I think about problem solving, teamwork, leadership, and exploration.
Even today, the same curiosity that once pointed me toward the stars, still drives my desire to see what lies around the next corner.
Family matters most
The best journeys are the ones shared with the people you love.
I'm a husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, and proud Longhorn.
The places I've traveled and the experiences I've had are important, but the people I've shared them with matter far more.
Many of the best memories represented throughout this site happened because of my family. They're the reason behind so many of the journeys.
Collecting moments, not things.
Whether you're here for the travel journals, the photography, the stories, or the spaceflight history, I'm glad you stopped by.
Welcome aboard.
-Roger