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Kalpana Chawla: Difference between revisions

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Created page with "{{#seo: |title=Kalpana Chawla – First Indian Woman in Space |description=Kalpana Chawla was an Indian-American astronaut and aerospace engineer. She was the first Indian-born woman in space and died aboard Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003. |image= |keywords=Kalpana Chawla, Indian astronaut, NASA, space shuttle Columbia, women in space, Karnal, STS-107 }} {{Infobox person | name = Kalpana Chawla | image = | image_caption = Kalpana Chawla at NASA | birth_..."
 
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|title=Kalpana Chawla – First Indian Woman in Space
|title=Kalpana Chawla – First Indian Woman in Space
|description=Kalpana Chawla was an Indian-American astronaut and aerospace engineer. She was the first Indian-born woman in space and died aboard Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003.
|description=Kalpana Chawla was an Indian-American astronaut and aerospace engineer. She was the first Indian-born woman in space and died aboard Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003.
|image=
|image=Kalpana Chawla.jpg
|keywords=Kalpana Chawla, Indian astronaut, NASA, space shuttle Columbia, women in space, Karnal, STS-107
|keywords=Kalpana Chawla, Indian astronaut, NASA, space shuttle Columbia, women in space, Karnal, STS-107
}}
}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox deceased
| name         = Kalpana Chawla
| name           = Kalpana Chawla {{Verified}}
| image         =  
| image         = Kalpana Chawla.jpg
| image_caption = Kalpana Chawla at NASA
| image_caption = Kalpana Chawla, NASA astronaut
| birth_date   = {{Birth date and age|1962|03|17}}
| birth_date     = {{Birth date|1962|03|17}}
| birth_place   = Karnal, Haryana, India
| birth_place   = [[Karnal]], [[Punjab]], [[India]]
| death_date   = {{Death date and age|2003|02|01|1962|03|17}}
| death_date     = {{Death date and age|2003|02|01|1962|03|17}}
| death_place   = Over Texas, United States (Space Shuttle Columbia disaster)
| death_place   = Over [[Texas]], [[United States]] (Space Shuttle Columbia disaster)
| nationality   = Indian-American
| resting_place  = Memorial at [[National Cemetery]], Arlington (symbolic)
| occupation   = Aerospace Engineer, NASA Astronaut
| nationality   = Indian-American
| years_active = 1988–2003
| occupation     = Astronaut, Aerospace Engineer
| known_for     = First Indian-born woman in space
| years_active   = 1988–2003
| awards       = Congressional Space Medal of Honor (posthumous), NASA Space Flight Medal, NASA Distinguished Service Medal
| known_for     = First Indian-born woman in space, STS-87 and STS-107 missions
| spouse       = Jean-Pierre Harrison
| notable_works  = STS-87 (1997), STS-107 (2003)
| resting_place = Remains scattered in space and memorialized at multiple locations
| awards         = [[Congressional Space Medal of Honor]], [[NASA Space Flight Medal]], [[NASA Distinguished Service Medal]] (posthumous)
| age_at_death  = 40
| spouse         = Jean-Pierre Harrison
| parents       = Banarasi Lal Chawla (father), Sanjyothi Chawla (mother)
| children      = None
| notable_works = STS-87 (1997), STS-107 (2003)
| parents       = Banarasi Lal Chawla (father), Sanjyothi Chawla (mother)
| website       = [https://www.nasa.gov NASA Official Site]
| religion      = Hinduism
| website       = [https://www.nasa.gov/content/kalpana-chawla-biography NASA Tribute Page]
}}
}}


Revision as of 11:11, 26 June 2025


Kalpana Chawla
Kalpana Chawla, NASA astronaut
Born 17 March 1962
Birthplace Karnal, Punjab, India
Died 01 February 2003 (aged 40)
Place of death Over Texas, United States (Space Shuttle Columbia disaster)
Resting place Memorial at National Cemetery, Arlington (symbolic)
Nationality Indian-American
Occupation Astronaut, Aerospace Engineer
Years active 1988–2003
Known for First Indian-born woman in space, STS-87 and STS-107 missions
Notable works STS-87 (1997), STS-107 (2003)
Awards Congressional Space Medal of Honor, NASA Space Flight Medal, NASA Distinguished Service Medal (posthumous)
Spouse(s) Jean-Pierre Harrison
Children None
Parents Banarasi Lal Chawla (father), Sanjyothi Chawla (mother)
Religion Hinduism
Website NASA Tribute Page


Kalpana Chawla (17 March 1962 – 1 February 2003) was an Indian-American astronaut and aerospace engineer. She was the first woman of Indian origin to go to space. Kalpana flew on two space missions – STS-87 in 1997 and STS-107 in 2003. She tragically lost her life in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster during re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.[1]

Early Life and Education

Kalpana Chawla was born in Karnal, Haryana, India, into a Punjabi Hindu family. She was fascinated by aviation from an early age and earned a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College in 1982.[2]

She moved to the United States for further studies and obtained a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1984, followed by a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Boulder in 1988.[3]

NASA Career

Kalpana joined NASA’s Ames Research Center in 1988 as a powered-lift computational fluid dynamics researcher. In 1995, she was selected for the NASA astronaut program and completed her training in 1996.

STS-87 Mission (1997)

Her first spaceflight was aboard Space Shuttle Columbia on STS-87 in November 1997. She was responsible for deploying the Spartan satellite and conducted experiments in microgravity.[4]

STS-107 Mission (2003)

Her second flight was on STS-107, a 16-day scientific research mission that ended in disaster when the shuttle disintegrated upon re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere on 1 February 2003, killing all seven crew members.[5]

Legacy

Kalpana Chawla is remembered as a symbol of inspiration, courage, and determination. Several educational institutions, scholarships, satellites, and even a NASA supercomputer have been named after her. She was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, the NASA Space Flight Medal, and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal.[6]

Personal Life

Kalpana married Jean-Pierre Harrison, a flight instructor and author. She was an avid reader and enjoyed flying, hiking, and writing poetry. Though she became a U.S. citizen, she always acknowledged her Indian roots proudly.

Honours and Memorials

  • Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College, Karnal
  • Kalpana Chawla ISRO Space Center, Kerala
  • Asteroid 51826 Kalpanachawla named in her honour
  • Streets and dormitories in India and the U.S. named after her .

See Also

References

  1. ↑ https://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/home/kalpana-chawla.html
  2. ↑ https://www.thebetterindia.com/155540/kalpana-chawla-biography-life-india-nasa/
  3. ↑ https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/chawla_kalpana.pdf
  4. ↑ https://spacecenter.org/kalpana-chawla-biography/
  5. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kalpana-Chawla
  6. ↑ https://indianexpress.com/article/india/kalpana-chawla-space-hero-tribute-6261587/
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