Kalpana Chawla
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Kalpana Chawla is a first Indian – American woman who go into space in 1997 . She was a Aerospace Engineer and Astronaut.
She completed her Aeronautical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College in 1982 ( India ) , and She Earned a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from The University of Colorado Boulder ( CU Boulder ) in 1988 ( U.S ).
She First flew on Space Shuttle Columbia as a Mission Specialist and Robotic Arm Operator aboard STS-87 in 1997.
She was posthumously Awarded by The Congressional Space Medal of Honour , The NASA Space Flight Medal and The NASA Distinguished Service Medal .
Quick Facts About of Kalpana Chawla
Date of Birth | 17.March.1962 , Karnal, Haryana , India |
parents | Father- Banarsi Lal Chawla Mother – Sanjyothi Chawla |
Occupation | Aerospace Engineer and Astronaut |
Missions | STS-87 and STS-107 (Space Transportation System ) |
Awards | The Congressional Space Medal of Honour , The NASA Space Flight Medal and The NASA Distinguished Service Medal ( posthumously). |
personal life

Kalpana chawal was born in 17 March 1962 ,Karnal , Haryana , India .
Kalpana Chawla Father Name is Banarasi Lal chawal and Mother Name is Sanjyothi Chawla ,
She was youngest of four in her family she had 2 sister( Sunita and Deepa ) and one brother Sanjay .
In her childhood she is interested in aeroplanes sand others flying object eventually she spending the time with her father at local flying club.
But in future her father dismissed this suggestion and said it’s ( Aeronautical Engineering) only for boys and instead he recommends you could become a teacher and doctor.
She was completed her schooling by Tagore Baal Niketan Senior Secondary School
Later She Obtained Her Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College, While Selecting the course,
The Professors are discourage to her it’s not for you take another course but she refused him and followed and focused her passion and interest.
In 1980s Kalpana Chawla immigrated to United States and there she earned a Master Degree from University of Taxes in 1984.
Kalpana chawal married with Jean Pierre Harrison ( pilot) in 1983 and she becoming the naturalizing citizenship of United States.
Later she completed her PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder ( CU Boulder ) in 1988 and write a Thesis on Computation of Dynamics and Control of Unsteady Vortical Flows.
Later she had certified as flight instructor for single engine airplanes and flight instrument. Because while she attending the CU Boulder ( the University of Colorado Boulder ), Chawla took there flying lesson at the Boulder of Municipal Airport and she received the Commercial Pilots license which is permitted her to fly various types of land and seaplane as well as glider.
professional

Kalpana Chawla started her journey to followed her interest she joined NASA’s Ames Research Centre and began her work in 1988.
Where she conducted the computer fluids dynamic research on vertical and short Take-off learning concepts .
After this event she started the how to use of multiple computers to solved the issue of fluids flow problem.
In 1993 Kalpana Chawla joined the non – profit Organization Overset Methods , Inc – Los altos , California. She joined the Overset Method , Inc as research scientist and vice president of organization.
Her main work is there to focus on simulating the related problem of moving objects.
she selected as astronaut candidate in 1994 under training at Johnson space center which is part of NASA Astronaut Group of 15 , later she assigned for Extravehicular Activity (EVA) and robotics division Astronaut Corps in 1995.
Kalpana Chawla First Space Missions
Kalpana Chawla become the crew member of Space Shuttle Columbia Flight STS-87 .
When STS – 87 launched on 19 November 1997 ,Kalpana chawal become the first Indian woman go into space ,
that time she become the inspiration of every women and child the prime minister of India Shri Inder Kumar Gujral called her and congratulate and people of India appraisal her for passionate.
The shuttle completed 252 orbit of earth with in two weeks .
The shuttle STS-87 has variety of experiments and studying about how material behaves in space including project like plant reproduction in Microgravity .
While this period she served as missions specialist and flight engineer during take- off. Meanwhile she was assigned as deploy one of the shuttle’s payload : The Spartan Research Module.
It’s control system damage due to power surge .
Spartan failed to perform pirouette ( fast spin or turn ) movement.
She is attempted try to control the Satellite with shuttle’s robotics arm. But unable to catching clear signal on the control panel is showing it was secured.
Because she take her the arm back , while in this process she mistakenly hit the Spartan and the Spartan spin at 2 degree per second.
Other astronaut Kevin R. Kregel also attempted to grapple the payload matching the spin with shuttle’s.
But this movement was ultimately shaped into terminated, in the end a spacewalk is required to retrieve the payload.
A few members Criticized Chawla for mishandling of Spartan payload, but Kevin R. Kregel refused all blame with in a interview with a Orlando sentinel .
NASA established a team for investigation of deployment failure of STS-87 Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997 , December.
The investigation initially failure the attributes of ” crew error ” but Chawla was exonerated with the investigators mentioned lack of training , software errors and poor communication with ground control as the cause of incidents.
In January 1998 Chawla has given technical assessment advising shuttle engineer on different aspects of payload development and the astronaut experience.
Few time later she was selected for head of Astronaut Corps crew system and habitability department.
Kalpana Statemen after first space Mission
“When you look at the stars and the galaxy, you feel that you are not just from any particular piece of land, but from the solar system.”
Second Space Mission

In 2000 , 27 July Kalpana Chawla was selected for her second flight as crew members of STS- 107 ,
STS-107 is delayed several times over 2 years period of its time a variety of reasons like orbiter maintenance related issues. The mission was successfully launched on 16 January 2003.
STS 107 is designed for multidisciplinary ( involving several different subjects ) scientific mission ,The crew members are assigned in two shift to ensure the experiments successfully nonstop.
Kalpana Chawla work with other Astronauts IIan Ramon , Laurel Clark and Rich Husband .
Kalpana Chawla performed numbers of experiments in orbit researching on Astroculture as well as properties of Granural materials , Mist and etc. overall the crew members of STS-107 performed approximately 80 experiments in variety of disciplines.
When Columbia began for returned to earth’s atmosphere it was intended to launched at kennedy space center on 1 February 2003 Kalpana Chawla died in space shuttle Columbia disaster It’s 16 minutes prior to the scheduled landing . According to NASA on 16 January 2003 when STS – 107 is launched that time a piece foam of insulation broken off from shuttle’s external tank during liftoff , it damaged the thermal protection system of shuttle’s wing. It was the shield that protected from heat , on 1 February during re-entry when shuttle passed through the atmosphere the hot gas streaming into the wing caused it to break up . the shuttle began disintegration in sky above of Texas ,STS-107 all seven crew members are killed on 1 February 2003.
On 11 February all crew members remains had been recovered including Chawla by NASA .
Kalpana Chawla on her two mission she logged 30 days , 14 hour and 54 minutes in space .
Kalpana Chawla Biography – Education and Awards
Kalpana Chawla Education
- She completed her schooling from Tagore Baal Niketan School in 1976. ( India )
- She completed her Bachelor of science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Punjab Engineering college in 1982.( India )
- She completed her MSc in Aerospace Engineering from University of Texas in 1984. ( U.S )
- She completed her PhD in Aerospace Engineering from University of Colorado in 1988 .( U.S)
Kalpana Chawla Awards
She was posthumously Awarded by
- The Congressional Space Medal of Honour .
- The NASA Space Flight Medal .
- The NASA Distinguished Service Medal .
Kalpana Chawla Death
Kalpana Chawla died in space shuttle Columbia disaster on 1 February It’s 16 minutes prior to the scheduled landing on kennedy space center ( Florida ) on 1 February 2003.
on 16 January 2003 when STS – 107 is launched that time a piece of foam insulation broken off from shuttle’s external tank during liftoff , it damaged the thermal protection system of shuttle’s wing. It was the shield that protected from heat , on 1 February during re-entry when shuttle passed through the atmosphere the hot gas streaming into the wing caused it to break up . the shuttle began disintegration in sky above of Texas ,STS-107 all seven crew members are killed .
10 lines on Kalpana Chawla

- Kalpana Chawla is a first Indian- American woman who go into space in 1997 . She was a Aerospace Engineer and Astronaut.
- Kalpana chawal was born in 17 March 1962 ,Karnal , Haryana , India .
- In 1980s Kalpana Chawla immigrated to United States and there she earned a Master Degree from University of Taxes in 1984.
- Kalpana chawal married with Jean Pierre Harrison ( pilot) in 1983.and she becoming the naturalizing citizenship of United States.
- she completed her PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder ( CU Boulder ) in 1988 and write a Thesis on Computation of Dynamics and Control of Unsteady Vortical Flows.
- Kalpana Chawla started her journey to followed her Interest she joined NASA’s Ames Research Centre and began her work in 1988.
Where she conducted the computer fluids dynamic research on vertical and short Take-off learning concepts. - she selected as astronaut candidate in 1994 under training at Johnson space center which is part of NASA Astronaut Group of 15 , later she assigned for EVA and robotics division Astronaut Corps in 1995.
- Kalpana Chawla become the crew member of Space Shuttle Columbia Flight STS-87 . When STS – 87 launched on 19 November 1997 ,Kalpana chawal become the first Indian woman go into space .
- In 2000 , 27 July Kalpana Chawla was selected for her second flight as crew members of STS- 107 ,
STS-107 is delayed several times over 2 years period of its time a variety of reasons like orbiter maintenance related issues. The mission was successfully launched on 16 January 2003. - Kalpana Chawla on her two mission she logged 30 days , 14 hour and 54 minutes in space .
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Search Resources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalpana_Chawla
- https://www.space.com/17056-kalpana-chawla-biography.html
- https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/chawla_kalpana.pdf
- https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/world/kalpana-chawla-death-anniversary-in-columbia-disaster-and-challlenges-by-sunita-williams-1.10303632
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-107
- https://iibuffalo.org/news/aapikc/
- https://www.kcgmc.edu.in/KCGMCHome/about_kalpana_chawla#:~:text=Kalpana%20Chawla%20(March%2017%2C%201962,and%20primary%20robotic%20arm%20operator.
FAQs :
Who is Kalpana Chawla

Kalpana Chawla is a first Indian – American woman who go into space in 1997 . She was a Aerospace Engineer and Astronaut.
How did Kalpana Chawla died
When Columbia began for returned to earth’s atmosphere it was intended to launched at kennedy space center on 1 February . According to NASA on 16 January 2003 when STS – 107 is launched that time a piece of foam insulation broken off from shuttle’s external tank during liftoff , it damaged the thermal protection system of shuttle’s wing. It was the shield that protected from heat , on 1 February 2003 during re-entry when shuttle passed through the atmosphere the hot gas streaming into the wing caused it to break up . the shuttle began disintegration in sky above of Texas ,STS-107 all seven crew members are killed on 1 February.
Where was Kalpana Chawla born
Kalpana Chawla was born on 17 March 1962 ,Karnal, Haryana, India.
Kalpana Chawla death reason
Kalpana Chawla died in space shuttle Columbia disaster on 1 February .When Columbia began for returned to earth’s atmosphere it was intended to launched at kennedy space center on 1 February . According to NASA on 16 January 2003 when STS – 107 is launched that time a piece of foam insulation broken off from shuttle’s external tank during liftoff , it damaged the thermal protection system of shuttle’s wing. It was the shield that protected from heat , on 1 February during re-entry when shuttle passed through the atmosphere the hot gas streaming into the wing caused it to break up . the shuttle began disintegration in sky above of Texas ,STS-107 all seven crew members are killed on 1 February.
Kalpana Chawla Father Name
Kalpana Chawla Father name is Banarasi Lal chawal and Mother name is Sanjyothi Chawla .
Kalpana Chawla children
she has no children.
who is the first female astronaut in India ?
Kalpana Chawla .