Diary Survives 37-Mile Fall To Earth

Belonged To Israel's First Astronaut, Victim Of Columbia Shuttle Disaster; Going On Display In Jerusalem

(AP)  Pages from an Israeli astronaut's diary that survived the explosion of the space shuttle Columbia and a 37-mile fall to earth are going on display this weekend for the first time in Jerusalem.

The diary belonged to Ilan Ramon, Israel's first astronaut and one of seven crew members killed when Columbia disintegrated upon re-entering the atmosphere on Feb. 1, 2003. Part of the restored diary will be displayed at the Israel Museum beginning Sunday.

A little over two months after the shuttle explosion, NASA searchers found 37 pages from Ramon's diary, wet and crumpled, in a field just outside the U.S. town of Palestine, Texas. The diary survived extreme heat in the explosion, extreme atmospheric cold, and then "was attacked by microorganisms and insects" in the field where it fell, said museum curator Yigal Zalmona.

"It's almost a miracle that it survived - it's incredible," Zalmona said. There is "no rational explanation" for how it was recovered when most of the shuttle was not, he said.

NASA officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The U.S. space agency returned the diary to Ramon's wife, Rona, who brought it to forensics experts at the Israel Museum and from the Israeli police. The diary took about a year to restore, Zalmona said, and it took police scientists about four more years to decipher the pages. About 80 percent of the text has been deciphered, and the rest remains unreadable, he said.

Two pages will be displayed. One contains notes written by Ramon, and the other is a copy of the Kiddush prayer, a blessing over wine that Jews recite on the Sabbath. Zalmona said Ramon copied the prayer into his diary so he could recite it on the space shuttle and have the blessing broadcast to Earth.

Most of the pages contain personal information which Ramon's wife did not wish to make public, he said.

"We agreed to do the restoration completely respecting the family's privacy and the sensitivity about how intimate the document is," museum director James Snyder said.

The diary provides no indication Ramon knew anything about potential problems on the shuttle. Columbia's wing was gashed by a chunk of fuel tank foam insulation at liftoff and broke up in flames just 16 minutes before it was scheduled to land at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. All seven astronauts on board were killed.

The diary is being displayed as part of a larger exhibit of famous documents from Israel's history, held to mark the country's 60th anniversary this year. Also on display will be Israel's 1948 declaration of independence, the 1994 peace treaty with Jordan and a bloodstained sheet of paper with lyrics to a peace anthem that was carried by Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin at the time of his assassination in 1995.

[nothappyatall]

"It''s almost a miracle that it survived - it''s incredible," "

Not really, books are DIFFICULT to burn, they tend to scorch and smolder around the edges but stay fine in the middle even after the outside is burnt black. Not heavy enough to burn up when falling either.

Hardly any more miraculous than the tons of papers that blew out of the WTC towers.

[cdfoxtrot4]

How ironic that the Israeli''s diary should have survived, only to be found in PALESTINE. If this is a "miracle", do ya think maybe, just maybe, the Big Fella in the sky is trying to tell Israel something? Do yer?

[caliengineer]

Yes. I interpret the message of the location of the diary''s discover to be a reminder of this:


"And the Lord said unto Abram...Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place (Abraham was in Canaan) where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever." Genesis 13:14-15.

[runningralph]

to caliengineer,
That''s a good one. You have a good grasp of the Old Testament. People continually look for a pattern in chaos, a purpose in chance. Hope springs eternal in the human heart.

[mutantdog]

"The diary provides no indication Ramon knew anything about potential problems on the shuttle."

Yeesh...what a stupid comment.

I mean, what a surprise, since if there was an emergency problem developing on the shuttle, you''d think the first thing they''d all do is sit down and write about it in their personal diaries...

[pensacola98]

Some things are better off accepted, than explained....such as gifts.

[bigjj29]

America won''t survive if the elite media decide who we will be voting for. Check out PitbullPalin.com for cool designs of Pitbull Palin and Maverick McCain on shirts and other stuff. "Show your vote" on election day.

[bigjj29]

sorry that is Pittbullpalin.org

[jankebenz]

While it could be considered a miracle that a diary survives a fiery explosion far above the earth, the real miracle would be if the usa survives the multi trillion dollar financial crash. It seems that many investors have suddenly become religious and are praying for a miracle. I think we''ll see a swelling of church attendance as things worsen.

[guadalcanal3]

Very depressing: Lot''s of stupid comments from lot''s of stupid people.

[jankebenz]

What''''s sad is that it always takes a national tragedy for people to look to the Lord. If our country put Him first in all affairs ,we wouldn''''t have so many problems. But thanks to liberals and secular humanists, God has been gradually thrown out of our culture, yet liberals wonder why we have so many problems.

They wanted to throw God out, and now we''''re seeing the results of this.

Posted by StopSocialis at 03:32 PM : Oct 04, 2008

Yes, very sad, but very true, people reject God and his principles thinking they are enlightened and know better.All to often they realize the truth when its too late. I hope that we don''t have to come to the point of "too late".

[erasmus81]

Well, all I have to say is that it''s "amazing" that the diary was found before it was completely destroyed.

[jankebenz]

How can than be since no God(s) have ever presented themselves to be accepted or rejected?

Posted by tuckerndfw at 03:54 PM : Oct 04, 2008

The one and only true God was, is and always will be present,But one must have their ''eyes" opened to "see'' his presence. You don''t want to "see" God so your vision is limited to not seeing the trees for the forest. Seek and find him before its too late!

[enlightenu]

The one and only true God was, is and always will be present,But one must have their ''''eyes" opened to "see'''' his presence. You don''''t want to "see" God so your vision is limited to not seeing the trees for the forest. Seek and find him before its too late!

Posted by jankebenz at 04:13 PM : Oct 04, 2008

OJ being convicted 13 years to the day of his aquittal? maybe there is a god, maybe there is

[erasmus81]

It''''s not amazing at all. I live right beneath the path over which the shuttle flew. It was crashing when I watched it go over but I did not know it at the time (it was just a dot trailing smoke like a jet).

It crashed about 90 miles east of where I live.


Posted by tuckerndfw at 04:17 PM : Oct 04, 2008


Really? It could have landed on you!

So you are saying that not one little thing could have been missed? I guess with that many people looking, probably not.:)

[jankebenz]

Israel is a collection of religious lunatics and imposters pretending to be something they aren''''t (descendants of a mythological figure: Abraham) who use their mythology to justify murdering people and stealing their land.

Posted by tuckerndfw at 03:51 PM : Oct 04, 2008

Stealing their land???? Excuse me but The Israelites owned the land thousands of years before the palistinians set foot on it. Some knowledge of history would be benificial. Speaking of miracles,thatIsrael was reborn in 1948 and has survived against all odds for 60 years is truly a miracle. It was biblicaly prophesied long ago,yet you say the bible is myth,talk about being blind !

[jankebenz]

If God(s) exist, and they may, they know where I am. If they want to make their presence known, they know where to find me.

In the meantime, I follow the admonishment in the Bible, "Have NO other Gods before me."

Which prohibits me from following Gods other men invent.

Posted by tuckerndfw at 04:19 PM : Oct 04, 2008

A tad egotistical aren''t we? God must present himself to you? Exactly which god do you believe in?

[missingamerica]

Wouldn''t it be funny if God has a special place in the afterlife where he puts those who have warred over the proper way to express His worship and oppressed others in His name?

A battleground, complete with every weapon of death and destruction humanity has ever invented, where the three religions can maim and kill each other over and over and over again for all of eternity?

Wouldn''t that be funny?

[erasmus81]

I''''m not sure you understand the magnitude of the search. They closed off roads and brought in tens of thousands of fed, state & local law enforcement, firemen, and volunteers to walk every square inch of where debris could have been strewn.

Posted by tuckerndfw at 04:37 PM : Oct 04, 2008

I do remember hearing that it was a massive search. I know that they would have wanted to find everything they could.

[erasmus81]

Yes, it could have landed on me or in my neighborhood had it begun to break up about 50 miles earlier. It began crashing over the west coast (if I recall correctly).

Posted by tuckerndfw at 04:37 PM : Oct 04, 2008

And with all those satellites, or whatever, floating around out there, you just never know if something is going to land on you one day.:)

[missingamerica]

When someone comes to know the Lord as their personal Savior, the angels in heaven rejoice, as do we Christians, who are God''''s children.

Posted by StopSocialis at 04:44 PM : Oct 04, 2008

I suppose that is between you and your God in whatever afterlife you discover posthumously.

But here on Earth in the here and now it is up to we mere mortals to restrain those people who would practice religious bigotry and prevent others from worshipping as they wish.

[erasmus81]

And, it truly amazes me that otherwise intelligent, educated people cannot see the evil within themselves.

Posted by tuckerndfw at 04:31 PM : Oct 04, 2008

I see it''s the "God" subject again, eh?

I can see the evil within myself, tucker. Sometimes it''s hard to keep it in, and it kind of sneaks out once in awhile.:)

[missingamerica]

If you want to be an atheist, you can do so here in the USA, but try that in Saudi Arabia. Try being an open Christian or a Jew in Saudi Arabia for that matter, and see what happens.

Posted by StopSocialis at 04:52 PM : Oct 04, 2008

Yes, that is true; Saudi Arabia has allowed its government an religion to become so intertwined that they allow only one religion.

But I do not live in Saudi Arabia, and I do not believe that I or we have any right to do anything other that verbally criticize how they govern.

The United States of America is different because we keep church and state separate.

Here, my duty as an American Citizen is to ensure that NO religion becomes intertwined with our government.

As is yours, whether you are capable of comprehending that, or not.

[jankebenz]

jankebenz - tucker''''s hatred of Israel and the Jews is why I believe he very well be a Muslim fundamentalist, not an atheist, despite his claims. Every chance he gets on these forums to bash Israel and the Jews, he does.

Posted by StopSocialis at 04:36 PM : Oct 04, 2008

You well may be right, many atheists support Israel even though its just sticking up for the underdog.

[erasmus81]

I''''m betting on that particle collider in Switzerland creating a black hole that will swallow our solar system. . .

Posted by tuckerndfw at 04:56 PM : Oct 04, 2008

Yeah, well, we don''t want to talk about that thing. It scares me.:)

[erasmus81]

Unlike in the US, Saudis do not routinely inquire as to your religious beliefs, nor do they knock on your door demanding you follow their cult or face eternal damnation.

Posted by tuckerndfw at 05:02 PM : Oct 04, 2008

That''s what it''s like here, in Canada. Most people here don''t openly discuss politics or religion. No one knows, or cares what a person''s religion is.

[missingamerica]

But, they didn''t come to Israel for religious reasons, they came to Israel to escape the poverty in their home nation. And, since US taxpayers pony up extravagant welfare benefits for them, why not?

Posted by tuckerndfw at 05:16 PM : Oct 04, 2008

The money we give them does annoy me, especially when I read stories about Israeli cities that are so loaded with cash that they do DNA test on dog poop so they can fine the right owner.

[jankebenz]

Actually, Steve, God came to me one night when I was pondering the subject and that''''s pretty much what he told me.Posted by tuckerndfw at 04:49 PM : Oct 04, 2008

You said no god/s have presented themselves to you
earlier. Your conradictory statements are exposing you

[missingamerica]

I support Israel because our socialist president Bush supports Israel, and because it makes jankebenz madder than a christian hornet!

Posted by Voltaire777 at 05:19 PM : Oct 04, 2008

lolll...Bush is not a socialist, nor are the people who control the RNC socialists.

They are just your garden variety crooks who see government as a means to enrich themselves.

You note that they don''t have a problem getting richer in China, either - and that country is purely Communist.

It is all about the money, not the philosophy of government. The will don any attire that enhances the rate at which they can accumulate wealth.

[erasmus81]

The money we give them does annoy me, especially when I read stories about Israeli cities that are so loaded with cash that they do DNA test on dog poop so they can fine the right owner.

Posted by ibsteve2u at 05:19 PM : Oct 04, 2008

No way. Are you serious?

[missingamerica]

No way. Are you serious?

Posted by erasmus81 at 05:24 PM : Oct 04, 2008

Yup. http://greenprophet.com/2008/10/04/3337/dna-test-dog-poo/

[jankebenz]

But, they didn''''t come to Israel for religious reasons, they came to Israel to escape the poverty in their home nation. And, since US taxpayers pony up extravagant welfare benefits for them, why not?

I do not recall anywhere in the Bible that prophesies atheists flooding into Palestine and forming a state.

Posted by tuckerndfw at 05:16 PM : Oct 04, 2008

Wow you must really hate Israel and jews to deny historical facts. As I said before,a study of history would be benificial.

[missingamerica]

who believes in Charles Darwin''s version of mythological history that he invented as a story to sell at the market, you''ll never see the light

Posted by StopSocialis at 03:39 PM : Oct 04, 2008

As soon as they bring that argument out, you know it is pointless arguing with them.

What can you say to somebody who believes that God put 35 million year old fossils all over the place just to fvck with His children''s minds?

[erasmus81]

"I was required to list "Protestant" on my work visa application."

Posted by tuckerndfw at 05:22 PM : Oct 04, 2008

Why "Protestant"? No reason, or because they are considered less "fanatical"?

[jankebenz]

You said no god/s have presented themselves to you
earlier. Your conradictory statements are exposing you

Posted by jankebenz at 05:19 PM : Oct 04, 2008

I wasn''''t speaking to you, was I?

My message was intended for Steve and no one else.

Maybe you should stick to playing God & blasphemy since that''''s what you seem to do best.

Posted by tuckerndfw at 05:24 PM : Oct 04, 2008

The truth hurts does''nt it. This is a public board, and what you post is open for scrutiny.

[missingamerica]

"I was required to list "Protestant" on my work visa application."

Posted by tuckerndfw at 05:22 PM : Oct 04, 2008

Why "Protestant"? No reason, or because they are considered less "fanatical"?

Posted by erasmus81 at 05:31 PM : Oct 04, 2008

lolll...when I was in boot camp, they wanted a religion to put on my dog tags.

I thought I was going to get kicked out for telling them I wasn''t having any of that stuff.

So my dog tags say "No-Rel-Pref", which is appropriate.

I always figured if I caught one I wasn''t going to be engaging in a theological discussion, being dead and all.

[erasmus81]

"I always figured if I caught one I wasn''''t going to be engaging in a theological discussion, being dead and all." Posted by ibsteve2u at 05:34 PM : Oct 04, 2008

Uh,....caught one?

[jankebenz]

I support Israel because our socialist president Bush supports Israel, and because it makes jankebenz madder than a christian hornet!

Posted by Voltaire777 at 05:19 PM : Oct 04, 2008

Yaaaawn, ho hum, another contradictionalist wasp buzzing around looking for whom they can sting.

[jankebenz]

The truth doesn''''t bother me, but, then again, I''''m not a God wannabe (aka "blasphemer" like Constantine''''s version of Jesus).

I was having a dream, God didn''''t really present himself to me.

Posted by tuckerndfw at 05:41 PM : Oct 04, 2008

Constantines version of Jesus is not relevant, Gods version is. I assure you the truth will someday more than bother you, blaspheme of God and his son, has dire consequences

[erasmus81]

tucker

When I was a child I went to a Protestant church. I never actually went to "Church" though. I may have told you this before. I did tell you that I don''t know what I believe anymore. I left you a comment on another article once, but I don''t know if you saw it.

I was talking about the Bible and how I questioned what was in it. I didn''t think that you could really believe all that was written in it, because it had been passed down and rewritten over the years. I was saying that when I was a teenager, we used to play this kind of game, where a bunch of people would sit in a circle and one person would whisper a phrase or sentence in the next person''s ear. Each person would then whisper into the next person''s ear, and so on. By the time it got the the end, the sentence was no longer the same. I just figure that through the years, it would be impossible for something like that to be very accurate.

[erasmus81]

In case Steve was raptured :-), he was referring to being killed by a bullet. "Caught one" means "caught a bullet." (or grenade, rocket, bomb, etc.)

Posted by tuckerndfw at 05:58 PM : Oct 04, 2008

Oh.:)

[erasmus81]

"The Bible isn''''t quite the same as the telephone game."

Posted by tuckerndfw at 06:13 PM : Oct 04, 2008

I know it isn''t quite the same. I just meant that when something has been re-written so many times and translated into different languages, I''m not sure it has come through the years as it was originally written.

So, the "original" books that were written, still exist?

[jankebenz]

Speaking for God is blasphemy, you little blasphemer, you. You do not have the authority to tell anyone what the eternal consequences will be for anything he does. That''''s what God gets to do and he''''s real jealous about people like you pretending to be him.

Amazing how Constantine''''s first order of business at the Nicene Council was to establish which version of Jesus would be the official version, huh?


Thanks, but no thanks, I don''''t need other people to tell me what they think God said. He can speak for himself.


Posted by tuckerndfw at 06:05 PM : Oct 04, 2008

How can I blasphem God when I reiterate what he has written and spoken thru the bible? How can I pretend to be God when I profess him to be the almighty one? An act of desperation for credibility on your part no doubt.
The nicene council meet to establish a universal creed of belief in the one and only God and his son Jesus, not to single out a version thereof. Ever hear of the nicene creed?

[x-republican]

How can I blasphem God when I reiterate what he has written and spoken thru the bible? How can I pretend to be God when I profess him to be the almighty one? An act of desperation for credibility on your part no doubt.
The nicene council meet to establish a universal creed of belief in the one and only God and his son Jesus, not to single out a version thereof. Ever hear of the nicene creed?

Posted by jankebenz at 06:31 PM : Oct 04, 2008

Tell us, dear jankebenz, is the earth only 6,000 years old, despite all scientific evidence to the contrary? LOL

[jankebenz]

It doesn''''t matter what you believe, what we believe will not alter our eternal fates. What we do is far more important than what we believe.

Posted by tuckerndfw at 06:13 PM : Oct 04, 2008

The bible says our best deeds are but filthy rags before God, so good behavior will not save you. Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the father (God)except thru me" John14:6 . Thus believe, trust, and faith in him is the only way.
Constantine did not bring Jesus into play, God did, since the begining of time and the bible. Study it and you''ll see. The authenticity of the bible is well documented,proven and beyond reproach.

[jankebenz]

You are clearly ignorant of the subject matter of the Nicene Council if you seriously believe that it was convened for any other purpose than to establish the official version of the Jesus myth. (HINT: There were literally hundreds of different, competing versions).

Posted by tuckerndfw at 06:46 PM : Oct 04, 2008

Since you like reading wikipedia so much, look up "nicene creed", it will blow your socks off, not to mention your fanatical falacies of history.

[erasmus81]

So, tucker, is it still hot down there in Texas? How long does it stay REALLY hot? It doesn''t ever get down to freezing there does it? I thought I read once that Florida got some snow and they don''t usually get it. How about you?

[erasmus81]

"The Bible clearly (?) says only 144,000 people will be in heaven."

Posted by tuckerndfw at 07:05 PM : Oct 04, 2008

WHAT?! Wow, we''re all in really big trouble.:)

[erasmus81]

This spring, it was 90 degrees one day and two days later, it was 15 degrees.

Gotta be tough to live in Texas!!!!

Posted by tuckerndfw at 07:10 PM : Oct 04, 2008

That would be pretty tough going from 15 to 90 degrees. Got anybody dying down there? I guess everybody has as air conditioner? Do you have an air conditioner? I can''t come visit if you don''t have one. I would die.:)

[erasmus81]

If the bible is literally true, Jews, Christians & Muslims are going to have to fight real hard to get one of those seats. But, they''''re probably already full of Catholic popes & saints by now. . .

Posted by tuckerndfw at 07:16 PM : Oct 04, 2008

Hahaha, I think you''re right.