Earth and Space News: Lunar Far Side Ramon Crater Honors First Israeli Astronaut Ilan Ramon

Summary: Lunar far side Ramon Crater honors first Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, who perished with his six colleagues onboard Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003.

The lunar southern hemisphere's far side Ramon Crater honors first Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon (born Ilan Wolferman; June 20, 1954-Feb 1, 2003), who perished, along with his six colleagues, during Space Shuttle Columbia's re-entry into Earth's atmosphere on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003.

Ramon Crater clusters in the southeastern interior of Apollo Crater with six craters honoring the Israeli astronaut's six colleagues. Also known as Apollo Basin, the enormous impact crater forms a basin-within-a-basin with its location in the gigantic South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin. Apollo Crater occupies the SPA Basin's northeastern quadrant, according to Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center's mineralogy and petrology specialist, Canadian-American geologist Donald Allen Morrison (July 19, 1936-Jan. 16, 2021), and then Lunar and Planetary Institute postdoctoral researcher, American physicist and planetary geologist D. Benjamin J. Bussey, in their paper, "The Apollo and Korolev basins and the stratigraphy of the lunar crust," presented at the 28th Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conference (LPSC 1997), held in Houston, Texas, March 17-21, 1997.

Apollo Crater is centered at minus 35.69 degrees south latitude, minus 151.48 degrees west longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. The southern hemisphere crater's northernmost and southernmost latitudes reach minus 28.12 degrees south and minus 44.19 degrees south, respectively. The worn geologic structure's easternmost and westernmost longitudes extend to minus 140.58 degrees west and minus 162.07 degrees west, respectively. Apollo Crater's diameter spans 524.23 kilometers.

Ilan Ramon's lunar crater is centered at minus 41.23 degrees south latitude, minus 148.08 degrees west longitude. Ramon Crater records northernmost and southernmost latitudes of minus 40.97 degrees south and minus 41.49 degrees south, respectively. It registers easternmost and westernmost longitudes of minus 147.71 degrees west and minus 148.45 degrees west, respectively. Ramon Crater has a diameter of 17.23 kilometers.

Ramon Crater neighbors most closely with Husband and M. Anderson craters. Ramon Crater lies to the south of Husband Crater and to the east of M. Anderson Crater.

Husband Crater honors Richard "Rick" Douglas Husband (July 12, 1957-Feb. 1, 2003). The American fighter pilot and NASA astronaut served as commander of Space Shuttle Columbia's last, tragic flight, Thursday, Jan. 16, to Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003.

Husband Crater is centered at minus 40.32 degrees south latitude, minus 147.84 degrees west longitude. It posts northernmost and southernmost latitudes of minus 39.85 degrees south and minus 40.78 degrees south, respectively. The crater finds its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 147.17 degrees west and minus 148.51 degrees west, respectively. Husband Crater's diameter measures 31.26 kilometers.

M. Anderson Crater honors Michael Phillip Anderson (Dec. 25, 1959-Feb. 1, 2003). The United States Air Force officer and NASA astronaut served as Payload Commander and Mission Specialist 3 on Space Shuttle Columbia's last flight.

M. Anderson Crater is centered at minus 41.21 degrees south latitude, minus 148.99 degrees west longitude. It expresses its northernmost and southernmost latitudes as minus 40.93 degrees south and minus 41.49 degrees south, respectively. It achieves easternmost and westernmost longitudes of minus 148.62 degrees west and minus 149.36 degrees west, respectively. M. Anderson Crater has a diameter of 16.94 kilometers.

Craters named for Space Shuttle Columbia's seven fallen astronaut occur in the southeastern interior of Apollo Crater, also known as Apollo Basin, an enormous impact crater in the southern hemisphere on the lunar far side; Moon 1:10 million-scale Shaded Relief and Color-coded Topography: via Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature

D. Brown and McCool craters qualify as the next most proximitous Columbia-honorific lunar craters to Ramon Crater in the Apollo Basin. D. Brown is sited to the southeast of Ramon Crater. McCool Crater occupies an easterly site with respect to Ramon Crater.

D. Brown Crater honors David McDowell Brown (April 16, 1956-Feb. 1, 2003). The United States Navy captain and NASA astronaut served as Mission Specialist 1 on Space Shuttle Columbia's 28th and final mission, which also qualified as Brown's first and last spaceflight.

D. Brown Crater is centered at minus 41.65 degrees south latitude, minus 147.16 degrees west longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes touch minus 41.38 degrees south and minus 41.91 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes occur at minus 146.80 degrees west and minus 147.52 degrees west, respectively. D. Brown Crater has a diameter of 16.12 kilometers.

Located northeast of D. Brown Crater and east of Ramon Crater, McCool Crater honors William Cameron McCool (born William Cameron Graham; Sep. 23, 1961-Feb. 1, 2003). The American naval officer and aviator, test pilot, aeronautical engineer and NASA astronaut logged his first and only spaceflight as pilot of Space Shuttle Columbia's STS-107 mission.

McCool Crater is centered at minus 41.28 degrees south latitude, minus 146.26 degrees west longitude. It defines its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 40.94 degrees south and minus 41.62 degrees south latitude, respectively. The easternmost of Columbia-honorific lunar craters parameterizes its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 145.81 degrees west and minus 146.71 degrees west, respectively. McCool Crater's diameter measures 20.47 kilometers.

Chawla and L. Clark craters lie to the distant southeast of Ramon Crater. Chawla and L. Clark craters form a fairly straight north-south alignment with D. Brown Crater. Chawla is sited approximately midway between D. Brown and L. Clark craters. L. Clark Crater's position to the south of Chawla Crater qualifies as the southernmost among the lunar far side's Columbia craters.

Chawla Crater honors first Indian female astronaut and first Indian-American astronaut Kalpana "K.C." Chawla (March 17, 1962-Feb. 1, 2003). For her second spaceflight, the aerospace engineer, aerobatic pilot and NASA astronaut served as Mission Specialist 2 on Space Shuttle Columbia's last, fatal mission.

Chawla Crater is centered at minus 42.48 degrees south latitude, minus 147.49 degrees west longitude. It observes its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 42.24 degrees south and minus 42.71 degrees south, respectively. It finds its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 147.17 degrees west and minus 147.80 degrees west, respectively.

Chawla Crater has a diameter of 14.25 kilometers. Its tinyness qualifies Chawla Crater as the smallest of the lunar far side's Columbia Craters.

L. Clark Crater honors Laurel Blair Salton Clark (March 10, 1961-Feb. 1, 2003). For her first and only spaceflight, the American Naval Flight Surgeon and NASA astronaut served as Mission Specialist 4 on Space Shuttle Columbia's fatal 28th mission.

L. Clark Crater is centered at minus 43.34 degrees south latitude, minus 147.70 degrees west longitude. It realizes its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 43.08 degrees south and minus 43.59 degrees south, respectively. It reveals its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 147.35 degrees west and minus 148.04 degrees west, respectively. L. Clark Crater has a diameter of 15.30 kilometers.

The International Astronomical Union officially approved Ramon Crater’s name in 2006, during the organization’s XXVIth (26th) General Assembly, held Monday, Aug. 14, to Friday, Aug. 25, in Prague, Czech Republic. The craters provisionally named for Ilan Ramon's six colleagues also received official approval during the XXVIth General Assembly.

Detail of Lunar Aeronautical Chart (LAC) 121 shows the seven southern hemisphere craters honoring Ilan Ramon and his six Space Shuttle Columbia colleagues in the lunar far side's Apollo Basin: image credit NASA/GSFC/ASU, via USGS Astrogeology Science Center / Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Dedication

This post is dedicated to the memory of our beloved blue-eyed brother, Charles, who guided the creation of the Met Opera and Astronomy posts on Earth and Space News. We memorialized our brother in "Our Beloved Blue-Eyed Brother, Charles, With Whom We Are Well Pleased," published on Earth and Space News on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, an anniversary of our beloved father's death.

Image credits:

Commander Rick Husband (left) and Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon (right) in Space Shuttle Columbia STS-107 mission's Spacehab (SH) Research Double Module (RDM), on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2003; NAID 23344364; National Archives Catalog Record Group 255: Records of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration > Series: Mission Photographs Taken During the Space Shuttle Program > File Unit: STS-107; Local ID S107E05439: No copyright, via DPLA Digital Public Library of America @ https://dp.la/item/8a88f17929759a86ea622efb73fefeee; Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S107E05439_-_STS-107_-_Husband_and_Ramon_pose_in_the_SH_during_STS-107_-_DPLA_-_8a88f17929759a86ea622efb73fefeee.jpg

Arizona State University Apollo Image Archive. "Featured Image -- 07/14/2009 Aitken Crater." ASU (Arizona State University) SER (Space Exploration Resources) Apollo Image Archive > Featured Image List.
Available @ http://apollo.sese.asu.edu/LIW/20090714.html

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Apollo.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/326

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Chawla.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14139

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “D. Brown.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14138

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Husband.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14140

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “L. Clark.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14143

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “M. Anderson.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Feb. 1, 2011, 2:19 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14137

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “McCool.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14141

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Ramon.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14142

Marriner, Derdriu. "Ilan Ramon Had Moon Landscape Drawing by Petr Ginz on Columbia Shuttle." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/01/ilan-ramon-had-moon-landscape-drawing.html

The Moon Wiki. “Apollo.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > A Nomenclature.
Available @ https://the-moon.us/wiki/Apollo

The Moon Wiki. “Chawla.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > C Nomenclature.
Available @ http://the-moon.us/wiki/Chawla

The Moon Wiki. “D. Brown.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > D Nomenclature.
Available @ http://the-moon.us/wiki/D._Brown

The Moon Wiki. “Husband.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > H Nomenclature.
Available @ http://the-moon.us/wiki/Husband

The Moon Wiki. “L. Clark.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > L Nomenclature.
Available @ http://the-moon.us/wiki/L._Clark

The Moon Wiki. “M. Anderson.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > M Nomenclature.
Available @ http://the-moon.us/wiki/M._Anderson

The Moon Wiki. “McCool.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > M Nomenclature.
Available @ http://the-moon.us/wiki/McCool

The Moon Wiki. “Ramon.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > R Nomenclature.
Available @ http://the-moon.us/wiki/Ramon

Morrison, Donald A. (Allen); and D. Ben J. Bussey. "The Apollo and Korolev basins and the stratigraphy of the lunar crust." Pages 987-988. Lunar and Planetary Science XXVIII: Abstracts of Papers Submitted to the Twenty-eighth Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, March 17-21, 1997, Part 2 P-Z (1057-1638). Houston TX: Lunar and Planetary Institute, 1997.
Available via Harvard ADSABS (NASA Astrophysics Data System Abstracts) @ https://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1997LPI....28..987M
Available via Harvard ADSABS (NASA Astrophysics Data System Abstracts) @ https://adsabs.harvard.edu/pdf/1997LPI....28..987M

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. "David Brown, Mission Specialist." National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Biographies.html
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Profiles/Brown.htm
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Biographies/Brown%20Astronaut%20Bio%20Data.htm

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. "Ilan Ramon, Payload Specialist." National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
Available via NASA @ https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/ramon.pdf
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Biographies.html
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Profiles/Ramon.htm
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Biographies/PAYLOA%7E1.HTM

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. "Michael P. Anderson, Payload Commander." National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Biographies.html
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Profiles/Anderson.htm
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Biographies/anderson_biodata.htm

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. "Kalpana Chawla, Mission Specialist." National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Biographies.html
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Profiles/Chawla.htm
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Biographies/ASTRON%7E1.HTM

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. "Laurel Blair Salton Clark, Mission Specialist." National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Biographies.html
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Profiles/Clark.htm
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Biographies/Clark%20Astronaut%20Bio%20Data.htm

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. "Rick D. Husband, Commander." National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Biographies.html
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Profiles/Husband.htm
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Biographies/ASTRON%7E2.HTM

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. "William C. McCool, Pilot." National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Biographies.html
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Profiles/McCool.htm
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Biographies/McCool%20Astronaut%20Bio%20Data.htm

Robinson, Mark. "Challenger Astronauts Memorialized on the Moon." ASU (Arizona State University) SESE (School of Earth and Space Exploration) LROC (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera) > Posts. Jan. 28, 2011.
Available via ASU SESE LROC @ http://lroc.sese.asu.edu/posts/281

van der Hucht, Karel, ed. XXVIth General Assembly Transactions of the IAU Vol. XXVI B Proceedings of the 26th General Assembly Prague, Czech Republic, August 14-25, 2006. Cambridge UK: Cambridge University Press, Dec. 30, 2008. Available @ https://www.iau.org/publications/iau/transactions_b/

Earth and Space News

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Lunar Far Side Ramon Crater Honors First Israeli Astronaut Ilan Ramon

No comments:

Post a Comment