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First Israeli in Space

Posted by michael on from the flying-high dept.

Sleepyman writes "CNN has a story about the first Israeli in space going on STS 107 Slated to takeoff today from NASA's Space Center in Florida this afternoon. Good luck to him and the rest of the crew of STS 107."

3 of 168 comments (clear)

  1. Important information by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Ilan Ramon, the Israeli astronaut, was one of the F-16 pilots who had bombarded and destroyed the Iraqi nuclear reactor back in 1981. If not for him (or rather, if not for the Israeli Air Force), ten years later (in 1991) the USA would have had to face an Iraq that owns nuclear weapons. Not a nice prospect.

  2. Re:anti-semitism by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    ummm. as far as rebellious youth goes, I don't know anyone (I'm british) left *AT ALL* who is still pro Israeli, and if they were over thirty *THEY ALL USED TO BE*.

    i'd like to think that our press (can't vouch for it all, but certainly tv) covers the conflict evenly. Whenever a suicide bomber goes off, it is covered HEAVILY. It just so happens at the moment that the Israelis ARE killing more Palestinians at the moment (about three a day it seems like).

    Some media is anti-Israeli, but I would wager most is still more anti-Palestine JUST by virtue of swallowing everything that the Israeli press corp throws at them. so does laziness count?

    We didn't even get that pissed off here when a British UN worker was sniped by a trigger happy israeli kid. We bought the Israeli line that he was "acting suspiciously" (he was actually negotiating a cease-fire - something he kept pissing off the Israeli army by trying to do).

  3. Indian woman in space shuttle too by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting



    A woman born in India is in the same space shuttle

    In case you didn't know - In addition to the Israeli guy, the space shuttle also has a woman who was born in India and now works for NASA like many other people born in India. Her name is Kalpana Chawla and she has been in space before.
    Here is her bio on NASA's website
    In November, 1996, Kalpana Chawla was assigned as mission specialist and prime robotic arm operator on STS-87 (November 19 to December 5, 1997). In completing her first mission, Kalpana Chawla traveled 6.5 million miles in 252 orbits of the Earth and logged 376 hours and 34 minutes in space. This is her second mission.
    Very surprising that the media is covering the story of Israeli guy while they completely ignored her(or not surprising at all, considering that media has been completely oblivious to contribution of Indians in American society which results in ignorant public opinion)!