Ilan Ramon | |
|---|---|
אילן רמון | |
 Ramon in 2001 | |
| Born | Ilan Wolfferman (1954-06-20)June 20, 1954 Ramat Gan, Israel |
| Died | February 1, 2003(2003-02-01) (aged 48) |
| Cause of death | Space ShuttleColumbia disaster |
| Alma mater | Tel Aviv University (BSc) |
| Awards | |
| Space career | |
| ISA astronaut | |
Previous occupation | Fighter pilot |
| Rank | Colonel,Israeli Air Force |
Time in space | 15d 22h 20m |
| Selection | 1996 NASA Group |
| Missions | STS-107 |
Mission insignia |  |
Ilan Ramon (Hebrew:אילן רמון;pronounced[(ʔ)iˈlanʁaˈmon], bornIlan Wolfferman (אילן וולפרמן); June 20, 1954 – February 1, 2003)[1] was anIsraelifighter pilot and later the first Israeliastronaut. He served as aSpace Shuttle payload 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]
Born inRamat Gan,Israel, to Tonya (1929–2003) and Eliezer Wolfferman (1923–2006), a family ofAshkenazi Jewish descent, Ramon grew up inBeersheba. His father was fromGermany, and his family fledNazi persecution in 1935. His mother and grandmother were fromPoland, and wereHolocaust survivors, having been inAuschwitz. Theyemigrated to Israel in 1949.[3] Ramon's first name, Ilan, means "tree" inHebrew.[4] RamonHebraizied his surname fromWolfferman toRamon, a more "Israeli (Sabra)" name, when he joined theIsraeli Air Force (IAF). This was customary and expected of IAF pilots, as well as amongIDF senior 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]
Ramon was aColonel (Aluf Mishne) and afighter pilot in theIsraeli Air Force, with thousands of hours offlying experience. He began the fighter pilot's course at theIsraeli Air Force Flight Academy in 1972, but was forced to suspend his studies after breaking his hand. Ramon served in anelectronic warfare unit in theSinai during 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 Skyhawk Basic 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]
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 amultispectral camera for recording desertaerosol (dust). In July 1998, Ramon reported for training at theJohnson Space Center inHouston, Texas, where he trained until 2003. Ramon flew aboardSTS-107, logging 15 days, 22 hours and 20 minutes in space.
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 requestkosher food and marked the Sabbath.[9] 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 amicrofiche copy of theTorah given to him by Israeli presidentMoshe Katsav and a miniature Torah scroll (from the Holocaust) that was given to him by Prof. Yehoyachin Yosef, aBergen Belsen survivor.[10] Ramon asked the 1939 Club, aHolocaust survivor organization in Los Angeles, for a symbol of the Holocaust to take into outer space with him. A barbed wiremezuzah by theSan Francisco artistAimee Golant was selected. Ramon also took with him a dollar of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, RabbiMenachem M. Schneerson.[11]
Ramon and the rest of theColumbia crew died over East Texas in theSouthern United States during entry into Earth's atmosphere, 16 minutes before scheduled landing.[6]
Among the recovered 40% from the contents of theColumbia Space 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 Museumforensic experts. Only two pages were displayed, one containing Ramon's notes, and the other is a copy of theKiddushprayer.[14]CuratorYigal Zalmona[15] said thediary was 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]
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.
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 theIAF flight schoolHatzerim Airbase as 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]
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 Prize for lifetime achievement.
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]
Ramon’s third son, Yiftach, participated in reality showHamerotz LaMillion 9 with his friend Sahar, they placed 5th out of 13.
order to .. Israel Defense Forces .. officer
cardboard-covered, three-ring bound .. found wet and crumpled .. field .. Palestine, Texas.
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