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Israeli astronaut Col. Ilan Ramon was killed when the Columbia space shuttle broke up on re-entry to earth on on Feb. 1, 2003.
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| By Ellis Shuman March 15, 2004 |
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The families of the six American NASA astronauts who died in the Columbia space shuttle tragedy last year arrived in Israel yesterday, and were greeted at the airport by Rona Ramon, widow of Israeli crew member, Ilan Ramon.
"I feel tremendous happiness to have my family, the Columbia family, over here," Rona Ramon said as the NASA delegation arrived at Ben-Gurion International Airport.
"When Ilan began training for the space mission, he said that he wanted to organize a trip for his crewmates to visit Israel so that they would see what it is really like and not just the way it is shown in the media. This has been a year of ups and downs. This is one of the peaks," she said.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon invited Columbia commander Rick Husband and his crew to visit Israel during a telephone conversation between earth and the shuttle that was broadcast live in Israel and the United States.
Despite the tragedy, Israel was determined to carry out the original plan and invite the families of the astronauts, Science Minister Eliezer Sandberg told 12 relatives at the airport welcoming ceremony.
"Today we are paying that debt but unfortunately not according to the original plan," Sandberg said.
"For me it is an honor and privilege to be here," said Husband's widow Evelyn. "My entire life, I have wanted to visit Israel. Rick sent me an e-mail from space and told me that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had invited them to Israel. I am very glad that my children and I have been able to come, despite everything. We are all one family, especially the children."
Husband said her deep religious faith had helped to sustain her since the tragedy, and she prayed for guidance when the accident report was finally published, blaming the crash on failed management and safety practices as much as on the damage done by a chunk of foam insulation that broke off the fuel tank and damaged the craft.
Husband spoke emotionally of how close she had grown to Rona Ramon after tragedy linked them when the shuttle broke up on re-entry to earth on Feb. 1, 2003, killing all seven aboard.
"Rona is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. Her entire family is. Ilan was the same way as well. From the beginning, they have made us feel so special and so loved. We bonded so quickly together. That is one of the reasons there was never any consideration not to come here. I wanted to come for Rona," Husband said.
"It's going to be incredible," she said of her visit to Israel. "I just can't believe it. I went to sleep the other night and I thought: 'I'm going to be in the place that Jesus grew up.'"
Husband said that Rona visited her husband's grave in the fall and now she wants to see Ilan's grave. "It is real important for us to do that together," she said. She imagines that it will be one of the highlights of the trip.
The families will plant a tree in memory of the crew, visit the Israeli air base where Ramon trained and tour holy sites in Jerusalem. They will be received by President Moshe Katsav and Sharon.
"We are meeting Prime Minister Ariel Sharon this week," Husband said. "But at the same time it is very difficult. I still grieve horribly for my husband. It has been an interesting journey, the most intense one I have ever been on."
The Columbia family members have had speaking engagements throughout the United States and they also visited India, the native country of astronaut Kalpana Chawla who died in the disaster.
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