The space shuttle Columbia entered orbit Thursday carrying the first Israeli astronaut on a manned mission dedicated entirely to science.
Avi Blizovsky
The space shuttle Columbia entered orbit Thursday carrying the first Israeli astronaut on a manned mission dedicated entirely to science.
This morning's launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida took place under heavy security, in light of the fear of flamboyant terrorist acts, especially in light of the invention of Lt. Col. Ilan Ramon.
Ramon, a fighter pilot in the Israeli Air Force trained at NASA since 1998 for a mission that was originally planned for 2000. However, malfunctions in the maintenance of the shuttle fleet and higher priorities for flights to the International Space Station forced NASA to postpone the mission.
"We hope the wait was worth it," said Charlie Hobach from the radio control center after the launch went without a hitch. "In particular, we want to congratulate Ilan as you join the international space flight community.
"A million thanks" replied the captain Rick Husband.
In 1995, President Bill Clinton announced that Israel would fly a spaceship. Ramon is one of dozens of astronauts from around the world who joined NASA teams. The others came from Russia, Canada, Mexico, France, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia which sent a member of the royal family to help launch an Arab satellite.
The shuttle's mission is to perform over 80 experiments and four tons of research equipment and it will not visit the International Space Station or the Hubble Space Telescope. This is the first pure scientific mission in nearly three years.
On the route, Ramon and his six friends will be divided into two teams to carry out research around the clock during the 16 days of the flight.
The range of studies is wide, and includes biology, medicine, physics and technology. Their fight will be carried out in a pressure laboratory that will be located on the shuttle's cargo deck. The studies are divided into several groups - cancer cells, fungi, rodents, spiders, bees and silkworms, as well as the astronauts themselves. They will have sensors to measure the physiological changes they undergo in orbit.
The scientists hope to learn how to combat the effects of the lack of gravity, which over time can damage the immune system, reduce bone density and weaken muscles.
The team will also grow soybeans and crystals and use ignition cells to learn about good ways to put out fires in space.
The eight o'clock news on Channel 2 also includes a quote from NASA CEO Sean O'Keefe who expressed his appreciation for the great work that the Israeli Space Agency, academia and Israeli space companies put into this experiment, and this, according to him, is the meaning of "seeing things differently".
in the USA (17:39 Israel time) along with six other team members. The launch was successful, the rockets and the fuel tank were disconnected from the space shuttle, and it entered an orbit where it would circle the Earth for 16 days, during which its crew members would participate in conducting experiments and operating the space shuttle's equipment. All shuttle systems are working properly.
Colombia has several scientific missions, including an Israeli experiment to study the effect of dust on formation
Clouds and showers, testing the effect of the gravitational conditions in space on the ability of bacteria to reproduce and studying mysterious flashes of light that appear during lightning storms.
Today's launch was the 113th time that space shuttles have been launched into space and the 28th time for the shuttle Columbia. After you complete this mission, Columbia will be put in for renovations, during which she will be trained for docking at the International Space Station. In recent years, the US government's investment in the American space program has been significantly reduced and most resources have been concentrated exclusively on the construction of the International Space Station. The expedition departing today will be the first in three years to be launched for scientific experiments only, and not for the needs of the space station.
A large Israeli delegation arrived in Florida to accompany the launch into space. Among others, former Air Force commanders Eitan Ben Eliyahu and Abihu Ben Nun, and other representatives of the Air Force, the Israel Space Agency and the Israeli missions in the US arrived. The Israeli delegation was taken on a tour of the base yesterday, and visited the ferry itself.
Along with space crew commander Rick Husband, Ramon was the first to enter and tie up inside the space shuttle. This is because Ramon is responsible in the team for rescue, in case of a malfunction during the launch.
The movie Mission 107 - at 22:15 in Eran. 2
Task 107
Who is Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut? The film will draw a human mosaic of Ramon, and will follow his transformation from a pilot and squadron commander in the Air Force, to one of a small group - perhaps the most elitist group in the world - the "Mission 107" team of astronauts. Ramon says that to become an astronaut "you have to be the best in everything you do". The film will lead the viewers along his professional and personal development, and will expose them to the significant junctures he passed through in recent years: from the moment of his election to his final training for his longed-for launch into space, which was repeatedly postponed for various reasons. Screenplay: Tal Har-Zion. Producer: Udi Zemberg, made in Haaretz. Year of production: 2002.
And an addendum for the knowledgeable readers: the editor of the site, your faithful servant, Avi Blizovsky, I was the initiator of the film's production and contacted the Made in Israel production company. I would like to thank Udi Zemberg, Michael Tapuh and Shmi Sheinfeld, for their response to the initiative. You can see the film, which was eventually directed by Naftali Glicksberg, tonight. pleasure is guaranteed.
Update 18:00 - The launch went smoothly
The launch was carried out at the planned time - 17:39 Israel time and up to this time, there are no problems.
The shuttle arrived safely at its designated route at an altitude of 270 kilometers, and tomorrow the experiments will begin. Minister Limor Livnat and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon spoke with Ramon yesterday and he promised a surprise during the broadcast he will hold from the ferry this coming Tuesday.
At a conference of the Israeli Aerospace Association held at the Tau Auditorium in the Faculty of Engineering at Tel Aviv University, the Minister of Education and Science, Limor Livnat, said that she would push to return a canceled budget for the continuation of the Israeli experiment on future flights of the shuttle and for the continuation of research in Israel.
The conference was attended by hundreds of spectators who saw the launch on a huge screen.
More updates later this evening.
17: 00 Update
In less than an hour, the shuttle "Columbia" will be launched into space, then the launch will take place at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, with the Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon, on board. The launch time was set for 17:39 this evening, according to Israel time. The launch of the shuttle into orbit around the Earth will take about 8.5 minutes, the entire mission will last 16 days.
The seven astronauts finished settling in the shuttle a short time ago.
The head of the Israeli Space Agency, Avi Har Even, described Ramon's role in the shuttle crew to IDF radio from Cape Canaveral: "Ramon initially came to the force as an astronaut, or a payload specialist who was supposed to perform only one experiment, but we received a request from NASA to allow him To perform other experiments as well and actually serve as a mission expert, something we did not intend at all, but it turned out well."
The astronauts left for the shuttle under heavy security
The 7 astronauts, including the Israeli Ilan Ramon, left by car as there accompanied by a helicopter and armed guards; The launch will begin at the scheduled time - 17:39 Israel time
The historic launch of an Israeli citizen into space is expected to take place today (Thursday), at 17:3 Israel time, if nothing goes wrong. Ramon will be launched together with 6 other astronauts aboard the space shuttle "Columbia".
At approximately three o'clock (Israel time), the seven astronauts left where they were in the direction of the shuttle, under heavy security, with their vehicle accompanied by a helicopter and armed guards. The ferry commander and Ilan Ramon will enter first, because they are at the head of the rescuers if there is a malfunction at the last minute.
About eight and a half minutes after launch, the shuttle should reach the orbit where it will circle the Earth. The shuttle will be launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and there the countdown has already begun, for the journey that is expected to continue for 16 days.
