Chawala biography
Kalpana Chawla (March 17, 1962 – February 1, 2003) was born in Karnal, India. She was the first Indian - American astronaut and first Indian woman in space. She first flew on Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997 as a mission specialist and primary robotic arm operator. In 2003, Kalpana Chawla was one of the seven crew members killed in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.
Education
Kalpana Chawla completed her earlier schooling at Tagore Baal Niketan Sr. Sec. School, Karnal. She completed Bachelor of Engineering degree in Aeronautical Engineering at Punjab Engineering College at Chandigarh in 1982. She moved to the United States in 1982 and obtained a M.S. degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1984. Kalpana Chawla went on to earn a second M.S. degree in 1986 and a PhD in aerospace engineering in 1988 from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Later that year she began working at the NASA Ames Research Center as vice president of Overset Methods, Inc. where she did CFD research on Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing concepts. Kalpana Chawla held a Certificated Flight Instructor rating for airplanes, gliders and Commercial Pilot licenses for single and multi-engine airplanes, seaplanes and gliders.
NASA CAREER
Kalpana Chawla joined the NASA Astronaut Corps in March 1995 and was selected for her first flight in 1996. She spoke the following words while traveling in the weightlessness of space,"You are just your intelligence". She had traveled 10.67 million km, as many as 252 times around the Earth.
Her first space mission began on November 19, 1997 as part of the six-astronaut crew that flew the Space Shuttle Columbia flight STS-87. Kalpana Chawla was the first Indian-born woman and the second Indian person to fly in space, following cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma who flew in 1984 in a spacecraft. On her first mission, Chawla traveled over 10.4 million miles in 252 orbits of the earth, logging more than 372 hours Kalpana Chawla became the first Indian-born woman to go to space in 1997. Six years later, on February 1, 2003, Chawla died when the space shuttle Columbia broke up on re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, killing all seven astronauts on board. Chawla's legacy has lived on, however. In particular, her talent and hard work have inspired young people in India and around Earth to consider careers in spaceflight. Born in Karnal, India, on March 17, 1962, to parents Banarasi Lal Chawla and Sanjyothi Chawla, Kalpana Chawla was the youngest of four children. Until she started school, Chawla hadn't been formally named. Her parents called her Montu, but Chawla picked her own name from a selection when she entered education. The name Kalpana means "idea" or "imagination." Her full name is pronounced CULL-pah-na CHAU-la, though she often went by the nickname K.C. As a child, Chawla developed an interest in flying after first seeing a plane at around the age of three. She spent days with her father visiting her local flying club with her father and showed an interest in aviation while at school. Related: Columbia Disaster: What happened and what NASA learned Image 1 of 5 During her earlier education in India, Chawla attended Tagore Baal Niketan Senior Secondary School, Karnal. Chawla obtained a degree in aeronautical engineering from Punjab Engineering College. When selecting the course, professors tried to dissuade her, as there were limited opportunities for girls in India following this career path. However, Chawla was adamant that this was the subject for her. After completing her engineering degree in India, Chawla immigrated to the United States in the 1980s and became a naturalized citizen to continue her studies. She obtained her masters degree from the University of Texas and earned a doctorate in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado Kalpana Chawla Biography: How can we forget the first Indian-born woman to go into space. She is none other than Kalpana Chawla. Today is her death anniversary. On this day in 2003, she lost her life when the space shuttle Columbia was destroyed. While re-entering into Earth's atmosphere, the spacecraft broke out and killed all seven astronauts on board. Despite never returning to Earth, her legacy has lived on. Here we are describing in short her life story that not only inspires young people but also women who want to pursue their dream. Her passion and hard work allowed her to achieve her dreams. Take a look! 1 February 2003 Aboard Space Shuttle Columbia over Texas, U.S. Father: Banarasi Lal Chawla Mother: Sanjyothi Chawla She was born on 17 March 1962 in Karnal, India. Her father was Banarasi Lal Chawla and her mother was Sanjyothi Chawla. She was the youngest of four children. She was called by her parents Montu until she started school. When she entered education, Chawla picked her own name. The name 'Kalpana' means "idea" or "imagination". She often went by the nickname K.C. She enjoyed flying, hiking, back-packing, and reading. READ| Nirmala Sitharaman Biography: Birth, Age, Family, Education, Political Career, Recognitions, and More About Fi Indian-born American astronaut (1962–2003) Kalpana Chawla Karnal, Haryana, India Over Texas, U.S Time in space Mission insignia Kalpana Chawla (March 17, 1962 – February 1, 2003) was an Indian American astronaut and aerospace engineer who was the first woman of Indian origin to fly to space. Chawla expressed an interest in aerospace engineering from an early age and took engineering classes at Dayal Singh College and Punjab Engineering College in India. She then traveled to the United States, where she earned her MSc and PhD, becoming a naturalized United States citizen in the early 1990s. She first flew on Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997 as a mission specialist and robotic arm operator aboard STS-87. Her role in the flight caused some controversy due to the failed deployment of the Shuttle-Pointed Autonomous Research Tool for Astronomy ("Spartan") module. Chawla's second flight was in 2003 on STS-107, the final flight of Columbia. She was one of the seven crew members who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster when the spacecraft disintegrated during its reentry into the Earth's atmosphere on February 1, 2003. Chawla was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, the NASA Space Flight Medal, and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. Several buildings, spacecraft, and extraterrestrial l
Kalpana Chawla: Biography & Columbia disaster
Early life
Education
Kalpana Chawla Biography: Death Anniversary, Family, Age, Education, Space Missions, Awards, Legacy, and More
Kalpana Chawla Biography
Nickname Montu Born 17 March 1962 Place of Birth Karnal, India Died Parents Siblings 4 ( She is the youngest of four children) Alma mater Punjab Engineering College (BE)
University of Texas at Arlington (MS)
University of Colorado at Boulder (MS, PhD)Awards Congressional Space Medal of Honour
The NASA Space Flight Medal
The NASA Distinguished Service MedalSelection Selected by NASA in December 1994 Missions STS-87, STS-107 Kalpana Chawla Biography: Family, Husband, Child, Age, Early Life and Hobbies
Kalpana Chawla
Born (1962-03-17)March 17, 1962 Died February 1, 2003(2003-02-01) (aged 40) Cause of death Space Shuttle Columbia disaster Resting place Zion National Park, Utah, U.S. Education Punjab Engineering College (BEng)
University of Texas, Arlington (MS)
University of Colorado, Boulder (PhD)Awards Space career 31d 14h 54m Selection NASA Group 15 (1994) Missions STS-87
STS-107Scientific career Fields Aerospace engineering Thesis Computation of Dynamics and Control of Unsteady Vortical Flows (1988) Doctoral advisor Chuen-Yen Chow