Ilan Ramon | |
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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)[1] 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.[2]