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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.

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Vacation Photos

Our Family

Random photos

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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.

Hawaii 2007

June 19-20, 2007 – Days 6 and 7

Canyons and Valleys

Today’s pictures can be found here and here.

Waiohai Beach Club (16)After yesterday’s amazing trip on the Na Pali coast, everyone agrees that a “recovery day” is in order, so we all spend all day Tuesday in and around the resort. It’s filled with beach sand-castle-building, ocean-swimming, pool-lounging, and finding-the-perfect-shady-spot-under-a-palm-tree. A *great* day.

For most everyone else, Wednesday is also a “beach bum” day, but Paul (Kathy’s Dad) and I want to go exploring and picture-taking… so we head off for two of Kaua’i’s most scenic spots – Waimeia Canyon and the Kalalau Valley.

Waimeia Canyon is known as the “Grand Canyon” of Kaua’i, and it’s easy to see why. A few pictures in this journal, with the rest of them here.
Waimeia Canyon (12)Waimeia Canyon (30)
Waimeia Canyon (18)



Waimeia Canyon (26)The famous Waimeia falls:



… and off to the end of that road takes us to the “land side” of the Na Pali coast and the spectacular Kalalau Valley. Tons of pictures (pretty much the same shot from slightly different angles/settings) here. Kalalau Valley has been featured in Jurassic Park and Raiders of the Lost Ark, among other movies!

Kalalau Valley (1)Kalalau Valley (21)



Kalalau Valley (15)It was a pretty steep drop right off the edge from where I was taking these pictures!



Kalalau Valley (45)The Pacific through a grove of ferns:



Roger and Kalalau Valley… and to prove I was really there:

It’s time to head back to the resort, though, as we’re going to a Luau tonight!!! Woohoo (next journal).