The US space agency published tonight (Friday) its second report on the space shuttle Columbia and it announces that the shuttle flight continues as a series and that all systems are working without malfunctions.
NASA published the second report on the shuttle, according to which the flight continues as a series and all systems work without malfunctions
The US space agency published tonight (Friday) its second report on the space shuttle Columbia and it announces that the shuttle flight continues as a series and that all systems are working without malfunctions. Colombia, with the first Israeli astronaut, Lt. Col. Ilan Ramon, completes an eighth lap around the Earth this morning. The space agency said that four of the astronauts, including Ramon, are now sleeping. Their three friends carry out the tasks and prepare the laboratory for experiments that will begin soon.
A huge cloud of white smoke surrounded the space shuttle "Columbia" on the launch pad yesterday at 10:39 local time (17:39 Israel time). Immediately after, the red fire trail of the rocket engines that launched Columbia into space was visible. The applause and cheers of the spectators at the launch - family members, friends and journalists - were swallowed up by the rolling thunder of the launch, which shook the entire space base. Columbia took off towards the east and in the clear skies of Florida the trail of white smoke could be seen for several minutes, which accompanied the shuttle on its way to orbit.
"It was a perfect launch," the space mission managers said over the loudspeakers from the control center in Houston. The space center employees stated that it was one of the "smoothest" launches they can remember, and that there were no last-minute glitches that could have delayed the launch. For the Israelis who accompanied Ilan Ramon for the past four and a half years, the excitement was greater.
Ramon's wife, Rona, and their four children watched the launch from a separate position, reserved only for the astronauts' families. "It was supreme enthusiasm," she said later. During the launch, the members of the Ramon family hugged each other "tightly", according to Rona Ramon. In an interview after the launch, she said that she was not afraid at any point: "We were sure that it would go smoothly. There was excitement that here, finally, the dream is coming true."
After the family members came down from the roof of the building where they watched the launch, 30 messages awaited Rona on her voicemail, including one from Ilan, who called before the launch and said: "We are happy, excited and we are getting on the ferry now. See you in February." Right after that Rona, as well as the members of the other astronauts' families, were presented with letters from the couple who went up into space. "That's the moment I burst into tears," said Ramon.
"The sky was painted blue and white, literally," said Israel's ambassador to the US, Danny Ayalon, after watching the launch. Ayalon called the Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, shortly after, and informed him of the successful launch. Sharon himself called Ilan Ramon the evening before the launch and wished him success. During his stay in space, Ramon is supposed to talk to the Prime Minister again, this time from space.
The Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Lt. Col. Eliezer Shakdi, said after the Columbia flight that Col. Ramon "fulfilled the dream of all of us." In many ways, he is doing what we would all like to do." Brigadier General Rani Falk, who was with Ramon in the pilot course, was more clear: "I envy him like I have never envied anyone. I am now ready to jump there and be with him on the ferry."
Among the Israeli representatives was reserve lieutenant colonel Yitzhak Mayo, who was intended to be Ramon's replacement and even began training at NASA in preparation for a possible launch. Mayo was appointed to serve as a backup in case Ramon fails, for some reason, to go into space. He went through the entire training course at the space base for six months and then decided to withdraw from the program. "I feel an almost childlike excitement," Mayo said before the launch. About three hours before the launch, the members of the shuttle team went on their way. On his way to the car, which drove him into the shuttle, Ramon - already dressed in the space suit with the Israeli flag on it - called out to journalists and photographers "good luck", and was engulfed in the car. A few minutes later the team members were already inside the shuttle and the tying and organizing procedures began. The space base technicians adjusted their helmets and conducted communication tests to verify the integrity of the connection with the control center. Ramon was the first to be strapped into his seat, because of his position on the shuttle and also because of his role as a "rescuer", in case of a possible malfunction during the launch.
Before the technicians closed the helmet and mask on Ramon's head, he asked - through the ground crew members - to convey one more message: "I love you Rona, I love the children", he said on the internal communication system.
The countdown proceeded without any glitches, when - according to tradition - the last ten seconds before the launch, are counted out loud on loudspeakers that can be heard all over the space base. The space shuttle took off eastward accelerating to 1,800 miles per hour, consuming half a ton of fuel every hour.
Two minutes and 11 seconds after takeoff, the critical moment came - the disconnection of the boosters, which are only used for launch and then fall into the sea. In two weeks, NASA will mark the 17th anniversary of the Challenger disaster, which crashed at the moment of disconnection of the boosters. After yesterday's disconnection went smoothly, the control center also breathed a sigh of relief. "Everything is in excellent condition," announced the operation manager from the base in Houston. After disconnecting the accelerators, Columbia became a small white dot in the sky. Two hours after takeoff, the seven astronauts changed their spacesuits into comfortable clothes and half an hour later, the practical work began, when Ramon, together with astronaut Laurel Clark, opened the experimental facility and began work. The Columbia team will perform 16 experiments during their 79 days in space. Because of the load, the astronauts were divided into two teams, called "red" and "blue", who sleep alternately, so that the work lasts 24 hours. Ramon is a member of the "red" team, which was the first to start work.
The director of the Israel Space Agency, Avi Haravan, expressed his hope that the enthusiasm in Israel for the launch event will lead to an increase in interest in the fields of science in Israel. "This will give the youth a boost to get interested in science and technology again, and we will try to make the launch a magnet," said Haravan.
NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe was full of praise for the Israeli astronaut and Israel's space agency. "Ramon is an excellent team member and we benefited a lot from the ability of such a person", he said in a meeting with journalists. O'Keeffe also promised to continue cooperation with the Israeli Space Agency, but declined to say whether there are plans to send another Israeli into space.
Ramon's main mission in space will be to operate the Israeli experiment "Midex", which is supposed to measure dust storms in the Mediterranean region. Israeli Space Agency personnel will also try to help locate the dust storms from the ground, in order to direct the work of the shuttle. In order to carry out the Israeli experiment, a small tilt of the shuttle itself will be necessary, a tilt that will be carried out using small auxiliary engines permanently installed on the shuttle.
The NASA director said that even though the shuttle was built 22 years ago, it is in excellent condition, and "it still has a lot of mileage to go."
Schedule of crew operations from the moment of launch*
– * 0:00 Ignition of rocket boosters and launch
– * 0:10 The shuttle begins to rotate so that its belly is turned towards Earth
– * 2:00 The rocket boosters detach and fall into the sea
– * 8:00 Stopping the operation of the main accelerators
– * 8:45 The main fuel tank detaches and burns up in space
- * 40:00 The auxiliary engines are activated for the purpose of correcting the route
* Two and a half hours after the launch - activation of the experimental facilities
* Four hours after the launch - the "blue" team goes to sleep
* Ten and a half hours after the launch - first exchange between the "blue" and "red" teams.
(Nathan Gutman, Haaretz)
NASA: The flight continues as a series
Ilan Ramon and the seven Ilan Ramons on their way to the shuttle The astronauts have already circled the Earth 10 times and looked at the Holy Land from the window of the shuttle Columbia, from an altitude of 240 km * Yesterday the shuttle was successfully launched and tonight it already performed its first test
This morning, when you wake up, around seven, Ilan Ramon has already circled the earth 10 times and looked at the Holy Land from the window of the Columbia shuttle, from an altitude of 240 km.
It went smoothly, but the nerves were frayed. It was impossible to avoid it, especially after the media center instructed the journalists where to go if there was a disaster. And it was impossible not to be moved when Ilan tied himself to his chair on the ferry and asked to convey a farewell message to the family members, if God forbid the business went wrong: "I love you Rona," he said. "I love the children."
The time was 10:39 am EST. As promised, a Swiss watch. We've seen this photo before, from afar, but it didn't belong to us. This time it was different. From a distance of five kilometers, from the wooden stands of the reporters that almost disintegrated during the launch due to the intensity of the vibrations, this is an experience that no TV viewing can compare to.
Huge smoke trail
Nine-eight-seven seconds to launch. In 6.6 seconds the temples lit up. This is the moment of "no return". From now on everything is by the grace of heaven.
First smoke billowed from the stern of the shuttle. Then a huge flame erupted and pushed the Columbia on its two million plus kg at G5 (5 times the gravity of the Earth) into the sky. Another 20 seconds, and the noise came and with it the shockwave that was out of this world. A minute and 20 seconds later the noise died down, and all that was left was a huge smoke trail from the Atlantic Ocean to the end of the sky.
Colombia started the journey on the right foot, but the business is not over. On the monitor you can see the shuttle climbing and heading east towards the Atlantic Ocean, turning upside down. To the naked eye it looks like a star. Ramon and his friends are already 120 km away from the launch site. All this in four minutes.
8.45 minutes after takeoff the main fuel tank disconnects. Another 40 minutes pass and the two small engines in the shuttle correct an orbit around the Earth. 44 small engines are used for orbit corrections during the 16 days of space travel. "The ferry is in good condition. Everything is working fine," announces the announcer at the Kennedy Center.
In the stand of dignitaries, Lt. Col. Rani Falk, Y. Sheral's air attaché in Washington, is trembling with excitement. "I didn't think I would be so excited," he admits.
Up in space, excitement is not allowed to get in the way. There is work, there are tasks. The "Blue Team" went to sleep for eight hours, the "Red Team", and our Ramon in it, along with Commander Rick Husband and the two women, started working immediately. Now begins the work of running 80 scientific experiments.
When Rona Ramon burst into tears Rona Ramon was not afraid. According to her, it was "supreme excitement, the excitement of a dream coming true and watching something that is bigger than us."
"During the launch," she said after the launch, "we hugged tightly, me and the children. There was no fear at any point. We were sure it would go smoothly. As soon as I got off the roof, where I watched the launch,
I had 30 phone calls and five messages waiting for me on the electronic answering machine. One of them was a message from Ilan, from this morning. He sounded happy: 'We are happy, we are excited and we are getting on the ferry now, see you in February,' he said.
"After the launch, other astronauts approached us and gave us bouquets of flowers and letters from the owner. And when I opened the letter from Ilan, I cried. He wrote me personal things of love, gratitude. Now, more than anything, I'm tired."
And a final word from the mouth of the head of NASA, Sean O'Keefe, from what he said at the press conference, an hour after the launch: "Ilan Ramon is a true professional. There is admiration for his ability here. He is of the caliber of our astronauts."
An update to Yitzhak Ben-Horin's article, Ma'ariv
