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.

[valhalladad-2009]

A miracle, itz!

[thinkharder-]

I don''t really have much against religion...I work in the bible belt of this country and have many friends with varying degrees of faith, but you have to ask yourself...what EXACTLY is it that you have so much faith in? Those of you who take the bible literally and believe the end is near are the scariest of all, because if you really believed that, how can you expect the rest of us to believe you have even the slightest degree of concern over worldly affairs. Who cares if WWIII is coming...means Jesus is about to pop through the western gate right? Who cares if we''re destroying the planet with pollution...we''re all about to check out anyway, right? It is sickening...if you could provide me with just one...ONE...shred of proof to back your faith, I''m on board...otherwise, we are a secular nation and should be acting as such.

SORRY TIPSY...I HEAR WHAT YOU''RE SAYING BUT I COULDN''T RESIST.

[thinkharder-]

-An astonishing 668 prophecies have been fulfilled

NAME A FEW EXAMPLES PLEASE...I"M VERY INTERESTED TO HEAR...

-The Bible is God''''s letter to humanity collected into 66 books written by 40 divinely inspired writers

WHAT ABOUT THE COUNTLESS OTHER BOOKS THAT WERE EXCLUDED AT THE COUNCIL OF NICEA? WHO''S TO SAY WHETHER THOSE AUTHORS WERE DIVINELY INSPIRED?

-an honest study of biblical prophecy will compellingly show the supernatural origin of the Bible.

THAT IS HUMAN EGO AT ITS WORST. THERE IS NOT ONE "PROPHESY" TO BE FOUND IN THE BIBLE THAT HAS IN FACT, IRREFUTABLY BEEN FOUND TO HAVE HAPPENED. NOT ONE!!!! I HOPE YOU CAN COUNTER ME HERE WITH AN EXAMPLE OF YOUR CLAIM BECAUSE I''M ENDLESSLY CURIOUS TO HEAR IT.

[tipsyinct]

How in gods name can you people justify having a religious debate when the article is about the awesome probability of a book surviving the fall from space. Because there was some religious stuff written in it? Thats his own personal stuff leave it alone.
Idiots.

[inventagod2]

''The diary took about a year to restore, Zalmona said, and it took police scientists about four more years to decipher the pages.''

Should have let some of the CBS comment geniuses decipher it - they know EVERYTHING...

[prelgovisk]

Read Isaiah 53 and ask yourself, "Who is this talking about?"

You cannot say the Bible has no prophecy if you have not read the Bible.

[jankebenz]

So, put your silly self-contradictory book away and join the rational universe.

Posted by X-Republican at 08:58 PM : Oct 04, 2008

Yeah, wordly rational has served us a utopia of life has''nt it? No thanks I,ll stick with what is true, what is moral,what is right and what is wise.

[x-republican]

The origin of the Bible is God. It is a historical book that is backed by archeology, and a prophetic book that has lived up to all of its claims thus far.

Posted by jankebenz at 08:48 PM : Oct 04, 2008

LMAO! Grasping at straws again, jankebenz? I can write a book of predictions too, and I''ll bet you over the next two thousand years, a few of them just might actually come true! But thanks for confirming one thing: evidence, proof and rationality rule. So, put your silly self-contradictory book away and join the rational universe.

[jankebenz]

Tucker, arianism is just another human claim that Jesus was/is not the son of God, just as you reject him. So, who was he, you or anyone to claim such?

The following might shed light on your claims, although deniers are known to be stubbornly obstinate to facts.

Origin of the Bible - The Power of Prophecy
The origin of the Bible is God. It is a historical book that is backed by archeology, and a prophetic book that has lived up to all of its claims thus far. The Bible is God''s letter to humanity collected into 66 books written by 40 divinely inspired writers over a period of over 1,600 years. The claim of divine inspiration may seem dramatic (or unrealistic to some), but a careful and honest study of the biblical scriptures will show them to be true. Powerfully, the Bible validates its divine authorship through fulfilled prophecies. An astonishing 668 prophecies have been fulfilled and none have ever been proven false (three are unconfirmed). God decided to use prophecy as His primary test of divine authorship, and an honest study of biblical prophecy will compellingly show the supernatural origin of the Bible. Skeptics must ask themselves, "Would the gambling industry even exist if people could really tell the future?" Again, no other holy book comes even close to the Bible in the amount of evidence supporting its credibility, authenticity and divine authorship

[x-republican]

I am the way, the truth and the light! Why? Because I said so, and whatever I say is true! Why? Because I am way, the truth and the light! He who believes in me must not take much to convince!

[x-republican]

"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.
Posted by jankebenz at 06:52 PM : Oct 04, 2008

Uh, oh, jankebenz is speaking in tongues again! Quick, someone get his meds!

[jankebenz]

In case it has not become obvious by now, I have not only studied the bible, I have studied bible history.
Posted by tuckerndfw at 07:05 PM : Oct 04, 2008

I highly doubt that since what you say is blatantly contrary to what the bible says and historical facts.

[erasmus81]

Bye, tucker.

Talk to you later.

[erasmus81]

Posted by tuckerndfw at 07:29 PM : Oct 04, 2008

Well, I don''t know if the flaps on a cardboard box is going to be enough air conditioning. Not a lot of room for air flow. Know what I mean? Have to get one of those mini fans. Like the ones you can stick on your dash.

That''s good that the state helps people buy air conditioners. There''s a lot of people with health problems that would die without them.

Our temperatures here have gone up more in the last few years. It usually doesn''t stay really hot for too many days in a row, though. A couple of years ago I bought a small air conditioner, but I only put it on if it gets to be over 80 degrees. Usually I''m okay for the first day, but after that, it goes on. I know, you''re thinking,"80 degrees? What a wus". RIGHT?

"But, if you''''re one of those delicate types, I''''ll see what I can do to find you some a/c to keep you cool . . ."

I''m not what you would consider "delicate". In fact I consider myself to be "tough" in most things. Just not if it''s over 80 degrees.:)

[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.

[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]

"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]

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?

[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.

[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.