-balettiedotcom-

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.

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?

Countdown

Countdown

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

England 2001

June 21, 2001 – Day 6

Guildford-to-Stratford – Now entering the Edwards Zone!

Here are all of today’s photos

Guildford-to-Stratford:

“Now entering the Edwards Zone!”

 

Kathy and the CotswoldsWe all enjoy a nice “lie in”, as the plan today is for a leisurely drive from Julian and Jenny’s in Guildford to the Alveston Manor Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon. Before we hit the road, we mail a few postcards to the kids and other family/friends. Julian takes us past Jenny’s workplace, a huge “leisure centre”, containing all manner of exercise and recreational activities, from workout equipment to a bowling alley! It’s huge… Kathy would probably spend 4-5 hours a day here!

Okay! Road trip to Stratford!!

After we get away from London, we head towards the Cotswolds. Playing “the alphabet game” along the way makes the 2-hour drive go by quickly! It’s obvious when we hit the Cotswolds… the scenery and sights are “sooooooooooopah”!

Broadway TowerWe wind through country roads and various small Cotswold villages… Although I have been here before, it is more beautiful than ever. The sun is out, it is warm, we can see for miles… it’s perfect!!!

Personally… I think it’s the company. 🙂

Julian makes the turn up to Broadway Tower, the highest spot in the Cotswolds, with a “folly” medieval tower (built in the late 1700s) atop it. We climb it, amid red deer and Highland Cattle (a “shaggy cousin” of my beloved Texas Longhorn!), and are greeted with spectacular views!!!

You can read more about my other visits to the Tower here: Broadway Tower - A Cotswolds Folly

Tons and tons of pictures… and we continue into Broadway.

Cream Tea in Broadway
RESULT!! We find a tea shop with cream tea service, with scones and clotted cream!!! Yummy!!!

Finally we arrive in Stratford at the Alveston Manor, a 450-year-old hotel steeped in Shakespearean looks and traditions. It is incredible!!! The grounds of the hotel will require a ton of photos on their own…

John, Marianne, and Mark arrive at about 8:30pm for a huge dinner in the hotel. We give them the presents we brought and have a great time laughing and talking until late in the evening!

Exhausted… we go to bed!!! 🙂