Israel in space: a pillar of space exploration in the MENA region

The origins of the space race 

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Space exploration is not a new concept. For centuries, dreams of reaching the stars have inspired writers such as Jules Verne with his visionary works “From the Earth to the Moon”. However, it was only in the 20th century that technological advances finally made it possible to turn these dreams into reality. The Second World War was a catalyst in this respect, with the technological advances made by Nazi Germany in the field of ballistic missiles. 

The end of the Second World War saw the emergence of a new era of rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, known as the Cold War. As these two superpowers competed for world leadership, space became the new horizon to conquer. The Soviet Union's launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, into orbit in 1957 marked the beginning of this competition. This feat drew worldwide admiration for Soviet technology, while highlighting the United States' backwardness in space. 

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The American epic journey to the moon 

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Faced with the challenge posed by the Soviet Union, the United States stepped up its efforts in the space field. President John F. Kennedy set an audacious goal in 1961: to send a man to the Moon before the end of the decade. Thus, the Apollo program was born, symbolizing America's determination to meet this challenge. After years of effort, on July 21, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the lunar surface, marking a historic moment in human space exploration. 

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The Soviet Union: space pioneers  

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Despite the success of the Apollo mission, the Soviet Union also marked the history of space exploration with a series of impressive achievements. From Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, to Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman, the Soviet Union demonstrated its ability to push back the frontiers of space exploration. Soviet achievements also served as a catalyst for accelerating American efforts in space exploration.

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Israel's contribution to space exploration

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In the competitive race to the stars, Israel has established its presence through notable contributions to space exploration. 

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 Ilan Ramon, born on June 20, 1954 in Tel Aviv, became a pioneer of Israeli space conquest as the country's first astronaut to take part in a mission aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia.  Prior to his journey into space, Ramon led an impressive career in the Israeli Air Force, accumulating many flying hours and taking part in notable military operations, including the attack on Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor in 1981. 

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After being approached by NASA, Ramon joined the agency in 1997 as a payload specialist. His dream of becoming an astronaut came true on January 16, 2003, when he became the first Israeli astronaut to leave Earth aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. However, mission STS 107 took a tragic turn when the shuttle exploded minutes before landing on February 1, 2003, resulting in the loss of the entire crew, including Ramon. 

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Despite this tragedy, Ilan Ramon's legacy lives on, symbolized by the pages of his logbook miraculously recovered and displayed in Jerusalem, as well as the personal mementos he took into space, such as poems by his wife, letters from loved ones and a miniature Torah scroll. Ramon, considered a national hero, embodied the hope and resilience of the Israeli people, while carrying with him the memory of Holocaust survivors, including his mother and grandmother, through symbolic objects such as the drawing of Peter Ginz, a child killed in Auschwitz. 

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Sources :

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https://guideisrael.fr/ilan-ramon

https://www.editions-ellipses.fr/PDF/9782340039186_extrait.pdf 

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