Kalpana Chawla: The Inspiring Life and Legacy of an Astronaut

Kalpana Chawla
⬧ Kalpana Chawla was born on March 17, 1962 in Karnal, Haryana.
⬧ Kalpana's father's name was Banarasi Lal Chawla and mother's name was Sanjyoti.
⬧ She obtained her bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College in the year 1982, after which she went to America for her further studies.
⬧ She received a master's degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas in the year 1984 and a PhD in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado, USA in the year 1988.
⬧ After this she started her career with NASA in the year 1988 as a researcher.
⬧ After becoming an American citizen in April 1991, she was selected as an astronaut in NASA in the year 1994.
⬧ In November 1996, she was assigned as a mission specialist on Space Shuttle mission STS-87, with which she became the first woman of Indian origin to fly in space.
⬧ In the year 2001, Kalpana Chawla got the opportunity to become a member of the crew of Space Shuttle Mission STS-107.
⬧ Kalpana Chawla died on February 1, 2003 due to an accident during this mission.
⬧ US aerospace and defense technology company Northrop Grumman has named one of its commercial cargo spacecraft after NASA astronaut Kalpana Chawla.
⬧ Kalpana Chawla holds a special place in history as the first woman of Indian origin to go into space.