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"We came here, you and I..."
— a tribute to the men and women of space exploration —
Flight, FDO...
The Space Exploration Site
of former
Flight Dynamics Officer
Roger Balettie
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Space is our future!
It is shortsighted of us as a collective humanity to think that we
will be able to contain ourselves to this planet.
It only takes a clear, starry night to prove to a person that there
is so much more out there than this "Pale Blue Dot", to quote the
late Dr. Carl Sagan.
The awe and wonder of seeing a Shuttle launch, watching old Apollo
footage, or just staring up at the night sky prove to me, beyond a
shadow of a doubt, that space exploration will be man's last, best
destiny.
The responsibility for maintaining man's presence in space falls upon
each and every one of us.
If you haven't done your part, it's time to take action!
NASA and the space exploration push as a whole is constantly under fire
from organizations, politicians, and individuals who don't realize the
benefits from space exploration.
Both
John Young
and
Jim Lovell
have written recent essays about the importance of continuing the space program.
It's up to us to educate them!
As a nation and a planet, the exploration of space and other worlds will
provide a unifying force... a sense of direction and purpose... that can
only be a positive influence in this insane "me me me" lifestyle that
seems to permeate society.
Why am I so passionate about space exploration?
I was five years old when Apollo 11 landed on the Moon.
That year, for Christmas, I received a spacesuit and helmet...
I still have the pictures and remember how much I loved them.
From that point on, I was determined to do something space-related.
I was fortunate enough to have a 12 year career with NASA
as a Rendezvous Flight Dynamics Officer working in the
Space Shuttle
Mission Control Center.
I have some fond memories of my time as Lead FDO of the STS-76 mission.
I started work at NASA's
Johnson Space Center
three weeks and two days prior to the
STS-51L
accident that resulted in the loss of Challenger and her crew.
The period that followed left an indelible mark on my life as I was able to be
a part of the recovery as the entire NASA community came together as a family,
solved the problems, and returned to space.
"Icarus Rising"
is a tribute to the Challenger crew.
And, if you've never read it, or it's been awhile,
"High Flight" is a truly inspirational poem
As an MCC Flight Controller, I learned
"The Flight Controller's Creed".
The words are more than hollow sentiments... they represent the extreme
dedication that each of the men and women of
Mission Control
bring every time they plug into the console.
The experience of working in the MCC has allowed me to apply these words to my
everyday life as well.
I hope you enjoy and apply them to yours as well.
When I decided to leave NASA, my
last day on console
was one that I will never forget.
What do I do now for space exploration?
Even though I no longer work at NASA, I continue to try to "do my part" for
space education and exploration.
Since I'm an AOL member, I have "my own"
message board in the
Space Exploration Online
forum called
"Ask Mission Control".
If you have AOL, stop by and ask your questions!!
I also regularly follow the sci.space.* USENET newsgroups, answering questions
as my experience dictates.
I've started scanning and posting
my collection of space pictures.
Oh... if you're looking for historical data, here's a
summary of all Shuttle flights to date.
Space... for a better Earth!
One of my most exciting current ventures is being associated with a new, non-profit
space advocacy group.
The Society of Performers, Artists, Athletes, and Celebrities for Space Exploration, Inc.
(SPAACSE) is a newly formed group that will promote space exploration through the
use of celebrity endorsements and public education about the many technical spinoffs
and benefits that have resulted from the space program.
I am very excited to be SPAACSE Vice President and Director of Online Operations,
and I will keep you all informed as to our progress.
We are acquiring some "big names" in the fields of music, sports, the
arts, movies, and more that will allow us to excite the general public as to the
beauty and benefits of space.
We have already awarded one college scholarship and have several other projects
in the works for 2000!
In summary...
Here is a list of all of my "space-related" information on this site:
- FDO and Mission Control
- What is a FDO?
- a definition of my former Flight Control position.
- Active FDOs
- the current crop.
- Former FDOs
- list of FDOs who have moved on.
- FDO Hall of Fame
- history of FDO flight assignments.
- My career
- 12 years "in the Trench".
- STS-76
- letters from the lead FDO
- My last day on console
- riding into the sunset?
- Mission Control Overview
- Flight Controller definitions.
- "The Flight Controller's Creed"
- words for the MCC and for life.
- The Space Shuttle
- a high-level overview.
- Space Shuttle mission history
- a brief summary of flights to date.
- My personal space pictures
- a collection of odds and ends.
- Space Shuttle landing sites
- a graphic display.
- Essays and Tributes
- "Icarus Rising";
- a tribute to the Challenger crew of STS-51L.
- "High Flight"
- the classic pilot's inspiration.
- "The BIG Picture"
- an essay by John Young for the continuation of space exploration.
- "Why have a space program?"
- an editorial by Jim Lovell.
- "Correcting some misconceptions... "
- a 2002 sci.space.shuttle rebuttal to "The Betrayal of Mission 51-L"
- Links and Interviews
- Space-related websites
- other space information on the web!
- An interview
I did for the Mir
Space Station website.
- "AOL Live" Transcript
from when I was the guest on launch day of STS-95 (October 29, 1998).
This website is dedicated to those people who have given their lives
in the quest for human exploration of the cosmos
and to the thousands of individuals behind the scenes
who have worked so hard over the years
to make these voyages possible.
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