Simviation Forums

From the remains of the shuttle Columbia...

A remarkable find from the widely scattered debris of the shuttle Columbia.
Considering that the remains of the shuttle craft was spread over a number of States, this was rare find, and involved dedicated work performed by the forensic scientists.

************************************************************************************
Astronaut's Diary Restored
Email to a Friend  Printer Friendly Version    


Posted: February 25, 2005 at 8:37 p.m.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- A remarkable forensic accomplishment: scientists have restored the flight diary and notes of the Israeli astronaut who died in the shuttle "Columbia" disaster.

Not only did the cardboard-bound notebook survive the fiery disintegration of the shuttle and a 38-mile fall, it lay in the Texas rain and sun for two months before being found.

Astronaut Ilan Ramon (ee-LAHN' rah-MOHN') was Israel's first space traveler. Scientists used computer image-enhancements and infrared light to read his hand-written Hebrew. They pieced together the charred and tattered pages like jigsaw puzzles.

Some pieces were in crumpled wads smaller than a fingernail. Others were stuck tightly together. Eighteen pages were recovered: four held Ramon's flight diary; six were classroom notes made before launch; and eight were personal notes.

Included was the text of the Sabbath kiddush, the blessing for wine.

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
*************************************************************************************

Courtesy of:

http://www.kron4.com/Global/story.asp?S=3001646


Paul.

Great achievement! I'd really like to read it, but sadly, it's a diary...

Wow, hadn't heard about that item, but the fact that most of their personal items were in containers inside lockers did make for a strange collection of fragile items which made it all the way to the ground...truly, those diary fragments faced greater peril just laying on the ground in the open like that!
Anyone see the videotape that survived (shot w/handheld by one of the crew)? It ends several minutes before the point of breakup, and not much is going on, but I found it fascinating, and touching. They'd had a good mission, were all excited about returning home, and in high spirits. May it never happen again...

One of our flight sim Israelie Members was very familiar with Ramon, (the astronaut), who perished in the crash..

Cheers all...!

Paul.

My friend who is temporaily in the UK knew one of the men too. His Dad was a worker in a roofing buisness and they repaired his roof too. Not sure which one it was though.
Small world.

As long as this technology is NOT made available to wives we should be okay

As long as this technology is NOT made available to wives we should be okay

Tee-Hee...!

Every husband/boyfriend should have his own, private paper shreader... ... ...!

Paul.

Tee-Hee...!

Every husband/boyfriend should have his own, private paper shreader... ... ...!

Paul.

Or a stainless steel waste paper bin and a box of matches.

Or a stainless steel waste paper bin and a box of matches

If being incinerated at several times the speed of sound at a couple of thousand degrees celcius and then being dropped 38 miles followed by a couple of months exposure to the elements and NASA can still read it Woody then I doubt a Swan Vesta is going to achieve much

If being incinerated at several times the speed of sound at a couple of thousand degrees celcius and then being dropped 38 miles followed by a couple of months exposure to the elements and NASA can still read it Woody then I doubt a Swan Vesta is going to achieve much

Laughed my ass off !!!

I have a neighbor who helped recover the remains from the Columbia Shuttle. His crew found a few clothing remains. Very sad