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This was the tragic death of the first Israeli astronaut to reach space prior to a space flight Various tests and trials are carried out to ensure that the orbital instruments work correctly for the final great launch, however, the extreme preparation carried out by the experts does not save them from having accidents, as is the case with Ian Ramonwho died in the “columbia tragedy” in 2003.
Ramon was born on July 20, 1954 in the Israeli city of Ramat Gan and entered the military service of the Israel Defense Forces to later join the Air Force, where he developed a successful military career.
Despite the fact that the future astronaut’s interest began in combat and the defense of his country; After graduating from the University of Oxford (United Kingdom), he participated in scientific research programs in the atmosphere (1997), which led him to be selected by the Israeli Air Force in conjunction with NASA to join the United States space program. Joined as Space Shuttle Columbia payload specialist on mission STS-107.
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The shuttle included a multispectral camera for recording aerosols in desert areas of space.
Liftoff of the first Space Shuttle Columbia
On January 16, 2003, the STS-107 mission took off from the Kennedy Space Center (Florida) with seven crew members on board, including Ilan Ramon. The space trip would last 16 days.
Once the former pilot was in orbit, he conducted various experiments that NASA considered successful.
According to the “Jewish Link” portal, Ramon expressed to international media that he was proud to be the first astronaut of his nation, since he felt that he represented all the Jews and Israelis who were currently suffering terrorist attacks due to the Second Intifada. a wave of violence that broke out between Palestinians and Israelis in September 2000.
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Due to the achievement of the former pilot, he was considered a symbol of hope and a national hero.
Although the expedition marched regularly, no one would imagine that the day of takeoff an imperfect would occur, because at that moment the orbiter, which is located in space, had an impact on the lower part of the left wing and caused the detachment of a piece polyurethane foam.
The hit occurred between 81 and 82 seconds after launch. According to studies carried out by the US agency, the force of the impact was almost one tonne and this was the tip of the iceberg for the lives of Ramon and the other crew members.
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Photo: REUTERS/Pierre DuCharme, file
Ilan Ramon and the tragic landing
On February 1, when the Columbia was returning to Earth, a few minutes after landing, the ship exploded in the sky, which caused the death of the pilot as well as his other companions.
The portal reported that the charred remains of the ferry fell in the United States, specifically in the state of Texas, where the diary, almost intact, of the Israeli was rescued.
“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”, he reads in the newspaper.
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Condolence book for Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon. Photo: AP/Evan Vucci, File
His name remains in memory
Yesterday, April 9, the first private mission to space was carried out in which the second Israeli ex-pilot traveled, Eytan Stibbe, who plans to pay tribute to the late Ilan Ramon, in the last place he observed before he died.
According to EFE, Stibbe took the pages of Ramon’s diary to the international space station.
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