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Random Ramjet Ramblings

Various thoughts and musings that tumble from my brain onto Ye Olde Interwebbes.
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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.

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-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?

Countdown

Countdown

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

Mediterranean Cruise 2005

October 15, 2005 – Day 3

Boarding the S.S. Voyager

Today’s pictures here.

All aboard!

After getting our luggage sorted and checked in with the Radisson representative, we sort ourselves out for a little bit before boarding the bus for a nice ride to the port city of Civitavecchia.  We’re taken right up to the embarkation point for our home for the next week – the Seven Seas Voyager.

This is a beautiful ship – truly worthy of its five-star rating!  We’re blessed to have access to this level of luxury, but looking back on it, it was an absolute perfect complement to what we are about to undertake.

Sunset and sailboatAfter checking in and boarding, we go and have lunch on the deck, topside.  It’s a great view of the Mediterranean as we enjoy our first meal.   With lunch complete, we go and find our staterooms.  Kathy and I have a great suite on the port side, complete with a huge balcony.  Paul and Geri have a stateroom facing aft, with an even bigger balcony!

We make our dinner reservations and get a few of the upcoming shore excursions sorted – the excitement level building even more for what’s coming.  Returning to our room to rest and get dressed for dinner is a nice break. 

We depart the dock near sunset, leading to some pretty amazing photos before heading to the “Latitudes” restaurant.  The Indochine cuisine is excellent … a great way to start the cruise!

After dinner, we sit on Paul and Geri’s aft-facing deck, watching the wake disappear into the night.

See?  I told you today’s journal would be shorter … too bad for you none of the rest of them will be.  Ha!