Gravity Pull of Israeli Astronaut Ilan Ramon Still Felt on the Space Coast

Kennedy Space Center, FL — Israeli Astronaut Ilan Ramon may have soared to Heaven four years ago but his gravity pull still seems to be felt on the ground at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. At least this was the mood in the atmosphere when an Israeli group came to memorialize their hero. Forty Israeli high school freshmen and their teachers made the trip of their young lifetime to visit Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The students are enrolled in a pilot space studies program meant to encourage interest in science, so it would seem they crossed half the globe mainly to be wowed by mammoth rockets and gleaming space station components. But the truth is they came to pay tribute to a lost explorer.

More pictures in the Extended Article!

“The reason we’re here is mostly in memory of Ilan Ramon,” explained trip chaperon and guidance counselor Kee Koch.

Ilan Ramon was the first Israeli astronaut to fly in space. He died along with six fellow crewmembers when space shuttle Columbia broke apart during reentry in 2003. Despite the tragic loss, Koch believes the life Ramon led sets an example for the heights Israeli students can reach in space flight and science. “We need to keep his memory alive,” Koch added.

Ramon’s roots in the students’ hometown — the southern city of Beersheba — inspired the creation of the space studies curriculum. “The program began because Ilan Ramon graduated from one of our high schools — Mekif Gimel,” said Koch. “It’s important to remember he would’ve come back a hero.”

The group toured Kennedy Space Center aboard coach buses to see sights such as the space shuttle launch pads and Saturn V rocket exhibit but mainly focused on a memorial to Ramon.

A special highlight was a morning seminar at the Center for Space Education. Students heard from NASA’s Astronaut, Randolph J. Bresnik (Lieutenant Colonel, USNC) who is planning for his upcoming mission.

The students also heard from a friend of Ilan Ramon, Mr Boris Berezin, who designed his personal patch at Ilan’s request. Mr. Berezin inspired the students with his explanations of the symbols on the patch.

Last but certainly not the least was a treat the students seemed to enjoy immensely. Next on the list of NASA’s speakers was surprisingly a Rabbi. But it didn’t take long for the students to make the connection especially after Mr. Jeff Fishkin, NASA space shuttle logistics engineer, introduced Rabbi Zvi Konikov as Ilan Ramon’s personal Rabbi. With his enthusiasm and charisma, Rabbi Rabbi Zvi Konikov of the Chabad Jewish Community Center of the Space & Treasure Coasts, recounted how Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon had asked him how he should observe the Jewish Sabbath in space when there is a sunset every 1½ hours, and by that measure, a Sabbath every 10½ hours.

“Jerusalem, we have a problem!” said Konikov in a play on the famous words issued by astronaut Jim Lovell during the troubled Apollo 13 mission in 1970.

Rabbi Konikov said that Ilan taught us a powerful message: No matter how fast we’re going, no matter how important our work, we need to pause and think about why we’re here on Earth.“

Following their session at the Center for Space Education, the students quietly walked over to the nearby Space Mirror Memorial. As the afternoon wind wafted past the mirror, students unfurled blue-and-white Israeli flags while Koch and other students stood between them holding pictures of Ramon. They took turns reading aloud essays they’d written about Ramon — most essays written in Hebrew and one in English. Koch confirmed in her piece that ”heroes are hard to come by“ and ”Ilan Ramon was one of us.“ The reading was followed by a moment of silence and a simple but elegant dance performed as a tribute by a group of female students.

In addition to honoring the legacy of Ramon, it’s hoped the program will raise the sagging interest Israeli teens have in pursuing careers in science. ”Israel is having the same problem the United States is having with getting young people interested in science and technology,“ said Jeff Fishkin, who helped organize the student trip to Kennedy. Fishkin started working with the program in 2003. The engineer serves as the trip’s American contact and coordinates housing, transportation and events for the students. Fishkin believes Ramon is a great role model for kids because of his contributions to his country and science. ”It’s important to remember that Ilan Ramon was not only a fighter pilot, but also an engineer.“

Koch knows getting kids hooked on science means enticing them to take classes like chemistry and physics, and she believes the space studies program might be a way to do so. In 10th grade, her students choose subjects they want to focus on in 11th and 12th grade. ”We’re hoping that next year when they choose their major and minors, they’ll choose the sciences,“ said Koch.

The student’s memorial concluded with the singing of ”Hatikvah,“ the Israeli national anthem. The song’s name means ”The Hope” and on this day it seemed not only to symbolize the faith of a young country, but also its reverence for fallen champions and the optimism in the youth they may continue to inspire.