Ilan Ramon
Ilan Ramon | |
|---|---|
אילן רמון | |
Ramon in 2001 | |
| Born | Ilan Wolfferman June 20, 1954 Ramat Gan, Israel |
| Died | February 1, 2003 (aged 48) |
| Cause of death | Space Shuttle Columbia 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)iˈlan ʁaˈmon], born Ilan Wolfferman (אילן וולפרמן); June 20, 1954 – February 1, 2003) was an Israeli fighter pilot and later the first Israeli astronaut. He served as a Space Shuttle payload specialist on STS-107, the fatal mission of Columbia, in which he and the six other crew members were killed when the spacecraft disintegrated during re-entry. At 48, Ramon was the oldest member of the crew. He is the only foreign recipient of the United States Congressional Space Medal of Honor, which was awarded posthumously.