Ilan Ramon
Shani Avgen, Aviv Dach, Noya Segev
Table of contents:
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Step 1:
This picture of Ilan Ramon was taken from Wikipedia. This picture was taken in NASA
at 2001 during the preparation to the space mission.
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Step 2:
In this photo, we see an astronaut known as ‘Ilan Ramon’, wearing a bright orange
NASA space suit. Ilan is smiling warmly at the camera, with one hand resting on a shiny
black-and-white helmet placed on the table in front of him. On his suit, there are several
patches, including one with his name, “Ilan Ramon,” and a NASA logo. In addition,an
Israeli flag patch is visible on his arm, and a large Israeli flag is in the background. On
the side, there’s also a model of a space shuttle. The whole picture feels official yet
personal, capturing pride, professionalism, and inspiration.
Step 3:
Ilan Ramon is one of the most recognized national symbol of Israel in the last 20 years.
His contribution to the Israeli’s aviation industry and the aerospace industry is admired
and we believe that he is someone we must memorialize.
There are several pictures of Ilan Ramon through his training period in NASA. In some
of them we can see him with his astronaut partners, in the spaceship before the
launching, with his wife and his son. But, we find this specific picture very special. The
combination of the Israeli flag, the formal space suit, the helmet and the spaceship
model gives us a feeling of pride. Ilan’s personality fills the picture and nothing else is
needed there. In other pictures the focus is not only on Ilan Ramon.
We think that our choice indicates that it means a lot to us to cherish our national
heroes because we are patriots and we are proud to be Jewish and Israelies.
Step 4:
We intend to understand who was Ilan Ramon, how was he chosen to this mission,
what was the purpose of this journey, where this picture was taken and when, what
preceded this picture , is this picture has special techniques.
We believe that we can find answers in websites like Israel Space Agency, NASA,
Wikipedia, The Ramon foundation website.
We hope to find answers to most of the questions but we might have problems with
understanding state of mind and feelings. We can only assume that.
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Step 5:
Ilan Ramon was born on June 20, 1954, in Ramat Gan, to Tonia and Eliezer Wolferman.
His father was born in Germany, and his family fled persecution by the Nazi regime in
1935. Ilan’s mother and grandmother survived the Auschwitz extermination camp.
Ilan grew up in Be’er Sheva and studied at Comprehensive High School G, which he
graduated from in 1972. Upon joining the Israeli Air Force, Ilan changed his last name to
Ramon because of his love to Israel and especially to Ramon Crater. In 1987, Ilan
completed his bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Tel Aviv
University.
In August 1972, Ilan enlisted in the Israeli Air Force pilot training course. He graduated
with distinction in the fighter track in 1974. In 1980, he was among the first pilots sent to
the United States to train on the F-16 aircraft, and he took part in introducing the aircraft
into the Israeli Air Force. Ramon had extensive operational experience. In 1981, he took
part in planning the operation of the bombing of the nuclear reactor in Iraq. One year
later, he participated in the Lebanon War.
In 1992, he was appointed Head of the Aircraft Branch at Air Force Headquarters, and
in 1994 he was promoted to the rank of Colonel, serving as Head of the Weapons
Systems Department until 1997.
In 1997, the Israeli Space Agency approached the Air Force with a request to choose a
participant to NASA’s space mission. The Air Force selected Ilan. In 1998, Ilan, his wife
Rona and their four children relocated to the astronaut training facility in the United
States. Ilan took part in operating the Israeli dust experiment, which was designed at Tel
Aviv University to study how dust storms affect the Middle East, as well as additional
experiments in the fields of biology and physics. The space shuttle Columbia
disintegrated during its entrance to the atmosphere on February 1, 2003. All crew
members on board were killed. Ilan is the only foreign national to have been awarded
the Congressional Medal.
Ilan Ramon’s famous photo was taken in November 2001 during preparations and
training for the STS-107 mission. The photo appears in NASA archives and on
Wikimedia, and it is one of his representative images used in biographical contexts.
Although the picture was taken in 2001, Columbia Spaceship was launched only in
2003. The source of the photo is NASA, we couldn’t find the name of the specific
photographer.
The official photo of Ilan Ramon in his NASA astronaut suit was taken using still
photography in a studio. We can see that there is a directed lighting that emphasizes
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details on the suit and the face. The background is neutral and that makes the astronaut
be the center of the picture. We can also see that there is full control over shadows and
highlights.
Despite the fact that the picture is official, we can still see Ilan’s personality by his smile,
the way he sits and the look in his eyes. He was a role model and a symbol of
excellence.
Step 6:
Dear Ilan Ramon,
Although we never met you personally, your image and story speak powerfully across
time. Standing proudly in your bright orange astronaut suit, holding your helmet with
quiet confidence, you represent bravery, curiosity, and responsibility. When we look at
your picture, we don’t only see an astronaut — we see a man who carried an entire
nation with him into space. You proved that dreams are not limited by where you come
from, but by how strongly you believe in them. As the first Israeli astronaut, you showed
the world that determination, hard work, and values can take you beyond the sky.
Knowing that you chose to bring meaningful symbols of history with you reminds us that
even during great scientific missions, humanity and memory always matter. Your
journey encourages us to aim higher, to stay curious, and to never give up on our goals,
even when the road is challenging. Although your mission ended too soon, your legacy
continues to inspire generations to dream big and look toward the stars with hope.
With admiration, Aviv, Shani and Noya
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Step 7:
Shani: While I was working on this assignment, I have learned a lot about Ilan Ramon
and his biography. I understand why he is a national hero and a role model.
I learned that I am capable of writing a whole assignment in English, I can find the right
sources by myself and pick the relevant information from it.
I must say, it was quite a pleasant task. The picture that we chose made me very proud
and gave me the incentive to learn all about Ilan Ramon’s legacy.
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Step 8:
Bibliography:
Wikipedia
Ramonfoundation
space agency
NASA