Wikipedia

Ilan Ramon

Ilan Ramon(Hebrew:אילן רמון;pronounced[(ʔ)iˈlanʁaˈmon],bornIlan Wolfferman(אילן וולפרמן); June 20, 1954 – February 1, 2003)[1]was anIsraelifighter pilotand later the first Israeliastronaut.He served as aSpace Shuttlepayload specialist onSTS-107,the fatal mission ofColumbia,in which he and the six other crew members were killed when the spacecraftdisintegrated during re-entry.At 48, Ramon was the oldest member of the crew. He is the only foreign recipient of the United StatesCongressional Space Medal of Honor,which was awarded posthumously.[2]

Ilan Ramon
אילן רמון
Ramon in 2001
Born
Ilan Wolfferman

(1954-06-20)June 20, 1954
Ramat Gan,Israel
DiedFebruary 1, 2003(2003-02-01)(aged 48)
overTexasandLouisiana,U.S.
Cause of deathSpace ShuttleColumbiadisaster
Alma materTel Aviv University(BSc)
Awards
Space career
ISA astronaut
Previous occupation
Fighter pilot
RankColonel,Israeli Air Force
Time in space
15d 22h 20m
Selection1996 NASA Group
MissionsSTS-107
Mission insignia

Biography

edit

Born inRamat Gan,Israel,to Tonya (1929–2003) and Eliezer Wolfferman (1923–2006), a family ofAshkenazi Jewishdescent, Ramon grew up inBeersheba.His father was fromGermany,and his family fledNazipersecution in 1935. His mother and grandmother were fromPoland,and wereHolocaust survivors,having been inAuschwitz.Theyemigratedto Israel in 1949.[3]Ramon's first name, Ilan, means "tree" inHebrew.[4]RamonHebraizied his surnamefromWolffermantoRamon,a more "Israeli (Sabra) "name, when he joined theIsraeli Air Force(IAF). This was customary and expected of IAF pilots, as well as amongIDFsenior officers at the time.[5]

Ramon graduated from high school in 1972. In 1987, he graduated with aB.Sc.degree in electronics and computer engineering fromTel Aviv University.[6]

Air Force career

edit
Ramon as a Colonel in the Israeli Air Force
TheF-16Netz #243flown by Ramon inOperation Opera.The green and black triangular emblem on the nose commemorates the attack.

Ramon was aColonel (Aluf Mishne)and afighter pilotin theIsraeli Air Force,with thousands of hours offlyingexperience. He began the fighter pilot's course at theIsraeli Air Force Flight Academyin 1972, but was forced to suspend his studies after breaking his hand. Ramon served in anelectronic warfareunit in theSinaiduring theYom Kippur War,and afterwards, returned to the flight academy. He graduated from the fighter pilots' course in 1974. From 1974 to 1976, Ramon participated inA-4 SkyhawkBasic Training and Operations. From 1976 to 1980, he participated in training and operations for theMirage IIIC.In 1980, as one of the IAF's establishment team of the first F-16 Squadron in Israel, Ramon attended the F-16 Training Course atHill Air Force Base,Utah.From 1981 to 1983, he served as the Deputy Squadron Commander B, F-16 Squadron.[6]

In 1981, Ramon was the youngest pilot taking part inOperation Opera,Israel's strike againstIraq's unfinishedOsiraqnuclear reactor.The facility was destroyed, killing ten Iraqi soldiers and one French researcher.[7][8]Ramon also participated in the1982 Lebanon War.

After attending theTel Aviv University,Ramon served as Deputy Squadron Commander A,119 Squadron,flying theF-4 Phantom(1988–1990). In 1990, he attended the Squadron Commanders Course and between 1990 and 1992, commanded117 Squadron,flying theF-16.From 1992 to 1994, Ramon was head of the Aircraft Branch in the Operations Requirement Department. In 1994, he was promoted to the rank of colonel and assigned as head of the Department of Operational Requirement for Weapon Development and Acquisition. Ramon stayed at this post until 1998.

Ramon accumulated over 3,000 flight hours on the A-4, Mirage IIIC, and F-4, and over 1,000 flight hours on the F-16.[6]

NASA experience

edit
Ramon in November 2001

NASA on-ground trainings

edit

In 1997, Ramon was selected as aPayload Specialist.He was designated to train as prime for a space shuttle mission with a payload that included amultispectralcamera for recording desertaerosol(dust). In July 1998, Ramon reported for training at theJohnson Space CenterinHouston, Texas,where he trained until 2003. Ramon flew aboardSTS-107,logging 15 days, 22 hours and 20 minutes in space.

Space flight: STS-107, Space ShuttleColumbia

edit
Ramon photographed aboardColumbiaon January 26, 2003

STS-107Columbia(January 16 – February 1, 2003), a 16-day flight, was a dedicated science and research mission. Working 24 hours a day, in two alternating shifts, the crew successfully conducted approximately 80 experiments.

Personally nonreligious, Ramon performed traditional observance while in orbit: "I feel I am representing all Jews and all Israelis." He was the first astronaut to requestkosherfood and marked the Sabbath.[9]

The STS-107 mission ended abruptly when Space ShuttleColumbiawas destroyedand its crew died during re-entry, 16 minutes before the scheduled landing.

Ramon, whose mother and grandmother were survivors ofAuschwitz,was asked by S. Isaac Mekel, director of development at the American Society forYad Vashem,to take an item from Yad Vashem aboard STS-107. Ramon carried with him a pencil sketch,Moon Landscape,drawn by 16-year-oldPetr Ginz,who was murdered in Auschwitz. Ramon also took with him amicrofichecopy of theTorahgiven to him by Israeli presidentMoshe Katsavand a miniature Torah scroll (from the Holocaust) that was given to him by Prof. Yehoyachin Yosef, aBergen Belsensurvivor.[10]Ramon asked the 1939 Club, aHolocaust survivororganization in Los Angeles, for a symbol of the Holocaust to take into outer space with him. A barbed wiremezuzahby theSan FranciscoartistAimee Golantwas selected. Ramon also took with him a dollar of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, RabbiMenachem M. Schneerson.[11]Ramon and the rest of theColumbiacrew died over East Texas in theSouthern United Statesduring entry into Earth's atmosphere, 16 minutes before scheduled landing.[6]

Diary

edit

Among the recovered 40% from the contents of theColumbiaSpace Shuttle that crashed outsidePalestine, Texas,were 37 pages of Ramon's diary, which NASA returned to his wife.[12][13]His widow, Rona,[12]shared an excerpt with the Israeli public in a display atJerusalem'sIsrael Museum.[14]Rona Ramon brought it to Israel Museumforensicexperts. Only two pages were displayed, one containing Ramon's notes, and the other is a copy of theKiddushprayer.[14]CuratorYigal Zalmona[15]said thediarywas partially restored in one year, and needed four more, for police scientists to decipher 80% of the text. Zalmona stated: "The diary survived extreme heat in the explosion, extreme atmospheric cold, and then was attacked by microorganisms and insects. It's almost a miracle that it survived — it's incredible. There is 'no rational explanation' for how it was recovered when most of the shuttle was not."[14]Ramon wrote on the last day of the journal:

Today was the first day that I felt that I am truly living in space. I have become a man who lives and works in space.

Inscribed in black ink andpencil,it covered the first six days of the 16-day mission.[16]

Family

edit

Ramon was survived by his wife, Rona, and their four children: Assaf, Tal, Yiftah, and Noa, who were in Florida at the time of the accident.

Assaf Ramon

edit

Ramon's eldest son, Assaf (February 10, 1988 – September 13, 2009), died at age 21 during a routine training flight while piloting hisF-16A,three months after graduating from theIAFflight schoolHatzerim Airbaseas the top cadet in his class.[17][18][19][20]Assaf lost consciousness during a spell of vertigo, as a result of the high speed and G-force conditions to which he was subjected. This led to the plane crash and Assaf's subsequent death. He was considered an excellent pilot.[21]A lieutenant of theIsraeli Air Force,he was posthumously promoted to the rank of captain.[21]

Rona Ramon

edit

Ramon's widow,Rona Ramon,served in the Israel Defense Forces as a paramedic and later earned a BA at theWingate Institute.After Assaf's death, she returned to university and graduated with a master's degree in holistic health atLesley University,Massachusetts. She also lectured about dealing with grief and finding coping mechanisms. Rona served as founding CEO of the nonprofit Ramon Foundation for youth academic excellence and social leadership through science and technology.[22]She died of pancreatic cancer on December 17, 2018.[23]She was posthoumosly awarded theIsrael Prizefor lifetime achievement.

Tal Ramon

edit

On November 10, 2013, the American Society for Yad Vashem held a special event with the participation of Ramon's son, Tal, who performed a song he wrote in memory of his father.[24]Tal Ramon performed his debut album,Dmut,at the club Zappa Tel Aviv in 2016.[24]

Yiftach Ramon

edit

Ramon’s third son, Yiftach, participated in reality showHamerotz LaMillion 9with his friend Sahar, they placed 5th out of 13.

Awards and honors

edit

Namesakes

edit
Ilan Ramon's grave inNahalal

In Israel

edit

In Canada

edit

In the United States

edit

In space

edit

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^Stone, Tanya Lee (October 1, 2003).Ilan Ramon: Israel's First Astronaut.Kar-Ben Publishing. p. 10.ISBN978-0-7613-2888-9.RetrievedMay 26,2011.
  2. ^"On This Day: Israel's Ilan Ramon dies in Columbia space shuttle disaster".The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com.RetrievedJanuary 21,2023.
  3. ^"Israel's first astronaut - Ilan Ramon".Haaretz.April 2, 2008.RetrievedSeptember 1,2011.
  4. ^Mike Campbell."Ilan".Behindthename.com.RetrievedSeptember 1,2011.
  5. ^"The Hebraization of Surnames".Jewish Agency for Israel.Archived fromthe originalon July 21, 2011.RetrievedNovember 24,2019.order to.. Israel Defense Forces.. officer
  6. ^abcd"ILAN RAMON (COLONEL, ISRAEL AIR FORCE), PAYLOAD SPECIALIST"(PDF).NASA.RetrievedMay 15,2021.
  7. ^Service, Haaretz (February 1, 2003)."Astronaut Ilan Ramon's son dies in IAF crash, September 13, 2009".Haaretz.RetrievedSeptember 1,2011.
  8. ^"Factfile: How Osirak was bombed".BBC News.June 5, 2006.RetrievedMay 5,2010.
  9. ^Konikov, Zvi."official website".Chabad.org.RetrievedSeptember 1,2011.
  10. ^Lehman-Wilzig, Tami; Craig Orback (2003).Keeping the Promise.MN: Kar-Ben publishing.ISBN1-58013-118-2.RetrievedMay 2,2011.
  11. ^Brown, Irene (January 27, 2003)."Israeli astronaut busy up in space".Jta.org. Archived fromthe originalon November 30, 2011.RetrievedSeptember 1,2011.
  12. ^abLoretta Hidalgo Whitesides (October 2008)."Diary Survived Shuttle Accident, Goes On Display".Wired.cardboard-covered, three-ring bound.. found wet and crumpled.. field.. Palestine, Texas.
  13. ^"Pride Turns to Grief and Disbelief in Israel".LATimes.comLos Angeles Times.February 2, 2003.
  14. ^abcOhm, Shawna (October 3, 2008)."Astronaut's diary goes on display in Jerusalem".Associated Press.RetrievedOctober 23,2011.
  15. ^"Photos of" miracle "diaryhere".yahoo.com.RetrievedSeptember 1,2011.
  16. ^Toni O'Loughlin (October 4, 2008)."Diary that survived shuttle blast goes on show".London: Guardian.RetrievedSeptember 1,2011.
  17. ^"Jet crash kills Israel hero's son".BBC News. September 13, 2009.RetrievedSeptember 1,2011.
  18. ^Heller, Aron (January 31, 2013)."Decade after shuttle disaster, Rona Ramon still trying to cope".The Times of Israel.RetrievedApril 1,2015.
  19. ^Death of Ilan Ramon's son, Asaf RamonArchivedSeptember 12, 2017, at theWayback Machine(hebrew)
  20. ^Sorcher, Sara (September 14, 2009)."Israel Mourns Assaf Ramon, Astronaut's Son".abc news.RetrievedApril 1,2015.
  21. ^abBoudreaux, Richard (September 14, 2009)."Israel pilot Assaf Ramon, astronaut's son, dies in F-16 crash".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedApril 1,2015.
  22. ^"Rona Ramon, widow of astronaut killed in Space Shuttle Columbia, dies at 54".December 17, 2018.
  23. ^"Rona Ramon, widow of Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, passed away - Israel News - Jerusalem Post".www.jpost.com.RetrievedDecember 17,2018.
  24. ^abHendelman, Ariel Dominique (April 30, 2016)."Piano man".The Jerusalem Post.RetrievedJune 20,2023.
  25. ^"Congressional Space Medal of Honor".NASA. April 28, 2006.RetrievedDecember 5,2009.
  26. ^Ibrahim, Raymond (July 18, 2010)."New Timna airport to be named after Ilan and Assaf Ramon".Jpost.com.RetrievedSeptember 1,2011.
  27. ^"Ilan Ramon Conference".Ilan Ramon Conference 2020(in Hebrew). Archived fromthe originalon December 15, 2019.RetrievedDecember 15,2019.
  28. ^"Ilan Ramon Junior High, Kochav-Yair".Archived fromthe originalon August 29, 2011.RetrievedOctober 23,2011.
  29. ^Shoshana Poznansky (May 7, 2007)."UJA Foundation: Lag B'omer festival".Jewishtoronto.net.RetrievedSeptember 1,2011.[permanent dead link‍]
  30. ^"UJA Foundation".Archived from the original on May 15, 2008.RetrievedFebruary 2,2008.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  31. ^"Florida Tech dedicates dorms to Columbia 7".Archived fromthe originalon January 18, 2008.RetrievedSeptember 1,2011.
  32. ^"Lunar crater Ramon".Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature.IAU.RetrievedJune 16,2021.
edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related toIlan Ramon.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ilan_Ramon&oldid=1253344444"