Israel To Send 2nd Astronaut Into Space

Israel’s second astronaut is scheduled to blast off into space in late 2021. Eytan Stibbe, a 62-year-old former Israeli Air Force fighter pilot, will take part in an eight- to 10-day mission to the International Space Station that will include his conducting a series of experiments to advance Israeli technologies and scientific developments. The announcement was made in a ceremony at Beit Hanassi, the president of Israel’s official residence. There, Tal Ramon, son of Israel’s first astronaut, Ilan Ramon, who perished when the US space shuttle Columbia broke up as it re-entered the atmosphere in February 2003, spoke emotionally in wishing Stibbe well and looked forward to his safe arrival on Earth after the mission. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said, “This is a day of national joy and great pride. An Israeli pilot with a blue and white flag embroidered on his shoulder will prove once again, as we have been showing here for 72 years, that even the sky isn’t our limit.”