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Astronaut Kalpana Chawla was the first Indian-born woman to venture into the space. She was on March 17, 1962, to Banarasi Lal Chawla and Sanjyothi Chawla. Moreover, Kalpana enjoyed various hobbies such as poetry, dancing, and playing outdoor games, like volleyball. She was also a black-belt Karate champion who enjoyed learning Indian classical dance, Bharatnatyam. In simple words, Kalpana Chawla is a true inspiration for Indian youth. Here are some other fascinating facts about Kalpana Chawla.
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Facts About Kalpana Chawla
- She was the youngest of four children.
- Her friends and family used to call her Monto. However, her school principal gave her the choice to choose her own name. This gave her the perfect opportunity to choose Kalpana as her new name.
- Kalpana attended Tagore Baal Niketan Senior Secondary School, Karnal.
- She obtained a degree in aeronautical engineering from Punjab Engineering College.
- She completed her postgraduate degree from the University of Texas. In 1988, she completed her doctorate in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado.
- In 1997, Kalpana Chawla became the first Indian woman to go to space.
- In November 1997, Kalpana Chawla was aboard the space shuttle Columbia on flight STS-87. This shuttle made 252 orbits of the Earth in a period of two weeks only.
- She was a mission specialist and prime robotic arm operator for the flight STS-87.
- In 2000, Chawla was selected for her second voyage into space for the flight STS-107. However, this mission was delayed multiple times before finally launching on January 16, 2003.
- On February 1, 2003, the space shuttle was intended to land at Kennedy Space Center. However, hot gas damaged its thermal protection system as it passed through Earth’s atmosphere. Minutes later, the entire ship depressurized and killed the crew of seven members, including Kalpana Chawla.
- Kalpana Chawla has been posthumously awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, Congressional Space Medal of Honor, and NASA Space Flight Medal.
FAQs
Kalpana Chawla was born on March 17, 1962, in Karnal, Haryana, India. She later moved to the United States to pursue higher studies and eventually became a naturalized U.S. citizen.
She flew on two NASA space missions. Her first mission was in 1997 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-87), and her second was in 2003 on the Columbia’s final flight (STS-107), during which she tragically lost her life.
Kalpana Chawla died on February 1, 2003, when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated upon re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. The disaster claimed the lives of all seven crew members.
Kalpana Chawla is remembered as a pioneer for women and aspiring astronauts. Numerous schools, scholarships, and institutions have been named in her honor, and she remains a symbol of courage, dedication, and the pursuit of dreams.
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