Photo Gallery of the Columbia Mission by the IDF

Israel Defense Forces ^ | 2/2/2003 | IDF Spokesperson's Unit

[yonif]

February 2nd, 2003

Photo Gallery

Courtesy of NASA

   
Columbia Crew prior to launching, Jan. 16th, 2003                            Col. Ilan Ramon




Columbia Crew preparing for launch

   
Columbia Space Shuttle                                          Columbia Crew waving to the crowds prior to launching

   
Shuttle Launch                                          Col. Ilan Ramon and other Columbia astronauts preparing for launch

Col. Ilan Ramon holding the Sabbath Kiddush service aboard Columbia

Col. Ilan Ramon enjoying weightlessness in space

Col. Ilan Ramon aboard the Columbia Shuttle

[yonif]

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks Yonif. I'm not sure people realize Ramon was one of the pilots who took out the nuclear reactor in Iraq years ago. He was a national hero even before he was trained in the astronaut program. His job on board STS107 was to manage the $2 million dollar Israeli experament in dust cloud dynamics. Thanks for the post.

[raisincane]

Thank you for sharing this tribute with us. The heavens will shine with them forever.

[CyberAnt]

Yes he was, and he was 1 of only 2 jets which streaked through the night and performed a daring raid upon the nuclear site in Iraq. They totally destroyed the complex. I'm not certain, but I don't think Iraq has ever rebuilt it.

This of course gives the Arab community just one more reason to hate Israel and want their destruction.

[DoughtyOne]

This is why I found it especially interesting that a Palestinian leader praised Ramon and his efforts on behalf of humanity.

[BenR2]

Thanks Yonif. I'm not sure people realize Ramon was one of the pilots who took out the nuclear reactor in Iraq years ago. He was a national hero even before he was trained in the astronaut program. His job on board STS107 was to manage the $2 million dollar Israeli experament in dust cloud dynamics. Thanks for the post.

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / /
Bump: Ramon was a hero!

[crazykatz]

BTTT

[Pyro7480]

Thanks for posting this beautiful tribute. However, I think in the picture titled "Col. Ilan Ramon holding the Sabbath Kiddush service aboard Columbia," he was actually talking during an in-flight press conference about holding the service and showing his cup used during it. I saw the video of it on C-SPAN and I remember the exact moment he showed the cup.

[crazykatz]

FYI

[Tennessee_Bob]

It was eight F-16s and six F-15s. They launched in the afternoon and hit the facility while they were coming out of the sun (they hit at 6:35 PM local). They hit the reactor dome with thirteen bombs - the first blew a hole in the containment dome, all but one of the others went into the hole left by the first one.

[thatdewd]

A picture of Israel and the Sinai peninsula as seen from Space Shuttle Columbia on January 26.

[ELS]

Pictures of the earth from outer space are so beautiful. Only a relative few get the opportunity to have that perspective.

"The first thing that came to mind as I looked at Earth was its incredible beauty. Even the spectacular photographs do not do it justice. It was a majestic sight - a splendid blue-and-white jewel suspended against a velvet black sky... The presence of divinity became almost palpable and I knew that life in the universe was not just an accident based on random processes." - Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell, on viewing our planet from space.

[Inspectorette]

Bump.

[lodwick]

bttt

[facedown]

bump

[Ladysmith]

bttt

[Orion78]

Virtual Tour of Space Shuttle Columbia

[Britton J Wingfield]

the first blew a hole in the containment dome, all but one of the others went into the hole left by the first one.

That is Luke Skywalker type precision! Wow.

[EternalVigilance]

I love that picture!

Thank you so much for posting it!

[Tennessee_Bob]

Yepper - and all aimed by on-board systems - no laser guided weapons. The laser pods would have added too much external drag and cut way down on the aircraft range.