Background
Kalpana Chawla was a highly accomplished individual, serving as an engineer, pilot, and astronaut. Born in India, her passion for flight started in childhood. She earned degrees in aeronautical and aerospace engineering, including a PhD. Chawla held multiple pilot licenses and joined NASA’s Ames Research Center after completing her PhD. Her expertise focused on aircraft fluid dynamics. She later became a U.S. citizen and was selected as an astronaut in 1994. Chawla participated in two Space Shuttle missions, spending more than 30 days in space. Besides space preparation, she contributed to projects like the Robotic Situational Awareness Display and space shuttle control software testing.
Missions in Space
Kalpana Chawla’s inaugural space journey began on November 19, 1997, as part of the crew for Space Shuttle Columbia’s STS-87 mission. She became the first Indian woman in space and got recognition from the Indian Prime Minister. Chawla shared the profound thought “You are just your intelligence” while experiencing weightlessness. Over the course of this mission, she covered a distance of 10.67 million km, equivalent to 252 orbits around Earth. She also operated the robotic arm to deploy the Spartan Satellite and conducted materials science experiments during the 16-day mission. Following the mission, Chawla pursued technical roles in the astronaut office, focusing on space station activities.
For her second mission, STS-107, launched on January 16, 2003, again aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, Chawla conducted microgravity experiments on crystal growth, combustion, fire suppression, and prostate cancer, among others. Tragically, Chawla and her six fellow crew members, including commander Rick D. Husband and pilot William C. McCool, were killed when the shuttle disintegrated upon re-entry on February 1, 2003.
Impact
Even through she had a tragic death, she impacted NASA with her outstanding work and research. She also inspired many people because she was the first Indian American to go in space and a women in STEM. She held many awards such as the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, the NASA Space Flight Medal, and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. Overall, Kalpana Chawla was a great inspiration to not only Indian Americans but also women!
“You must enjoy the journey because whether or not you get there, you must have fun on the way.”
Kalpana Chawla