• HOME
  • Travel
  • Photos
  • Space
  • Mission Control
  • Blog
  • Contact
-balettiedotcom-
  • 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.
  • Tango Delta
    Tango Delta
    A new adventure on the red planet has begun.
  • Words on a Chalkboard
    Words on a Chalkboard
    35 years ago, I saw two faded words on a chalkboard. They influenced the rest of my NASA career.
  • Apollo 11: What We Saw
    Apollo 11: What We Saw
    Repost of Bill Whittle's fantastic "Apollo 11: What We Saw" video series.
  • Incremental Successes
    Incremental Successes
    Another historic day in United States Human Spaceflight with the launch of SpaceX Crew Dragon on the DM-2 mission.
  • Demanding Situations
    Demanding Situations
    Apollo 13 was more than just a "successful failure".
  • If you can’t be good, be colorful
    If you can’t be good, be colorful
    Always be COLORFUL!

The links below cover a range of topics, from specific information on “What is a FDO?” to some information on life and operations in the MCC to various essays and tributes…

Contact me!

Flight Dynamics Officer

What is a FDO?
– Ascent
– Orbit
– Entry

My last day on console

My last FDO Log Book entries

Reflections on my career

STS-76: Letters from the Lead FDO

Mission Control Center

Mission Control Center Overview

What is the FDO looking at?

“The Flight Controller’s Creed”

Logos in Mission Control

Mission Control – 50 years

Atomic Fireballs in the MCC

Space Shuttle landing sites

Tributes

Words on a Chalkboard

Remembrance

“We Came Here, You and I…”

“Icarus Rising”

“High Flight”

Essays

Remembering Discovery

The Cathedral of Manned Spaceflight

“The Big Picture” (by John Young)

“Why have a space program?” (by Jim Lovell)

“30 years on: Lessons from Challenger”

“Challenger: Correcting some misconceptions…”

Space exploration is ‘destiny’

Mir Space Station website interview

STS-109 Entry photos

Space- and NASA-related blog entries

Travel
Photos
Space
Blog
©1995-2025 -balettiedotcom- | All rights reserved.
Website designed by Balettie Consulting, Inc.
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Home
  • Travel Journals
  • Photo Albums
  • Space Exploration
  • Mission Control
  • Blog
  • Contact