Kalpana chawla

This week we are remembering NASA astronaut Kalpana Chawla, who lost her life in the Columbia disaster. Chawla, who was selected as a NASA astronaut in December 1994, logged a total of 30 days, 14 hours, and 54 minutes in space. The certified flight instructor and aerospace engineer flew two missions to space (STS-87 and STS-107). Born to fly Chawla enjoyed flying from an early age and aspired to become an aerospace engineer. Chawla recalled in a NASA interview that as a child she was active in a local flying club in India where she grew up. Her father would take her to the club where she got her first experiences with small aircraft. “Every once in a while,” Chawla said, “we’d ask my dad if we could get a ride in one of these planes. And, he did take us to the flying club and get us a ride in the Pushpak and a glider that the flying club had.” First Indian-born woman in space Not only did Chawla realize her dream of reaching the stars, she became the first Indian-born woman to rocket into space. On Nov. 19, 1997, she launched aboard Columbia for the STS-87 mission. Chawla served as a mission specialist for the 15-day flight as well as the prime robotic arm operator. STS-87 was the fourth U.S Microgravity Payload flight. The crew primarily conducted experiments studying the affects of weightlessness on physical processes, but also studied and observed the Sun. A lasting legacy Chawla is celebrated today in dozens of memorials across the world for her contributions to space...

Astronaut Kalpana Chawla, an alumna of the University of Texas at Arlington, was one of the seven astronauts on the space shuttle Columbia, which broke apart in flames over Texas on Feb. 1, 2003, killing all the astronauts on board just 16 minutes before they were supposed to land in Florida. (AP Photo/NASA, File) (Anonymous / AP) Twenty years after NASA’s Columbia space shuttle exploded over Texas, the University of Texas at Arlington continues to honor the legacy of one of its prominent alumni. Kalpana Chawla became the first Indian-born woman to go to space in 1997. She graduated from UTA in 1984 with a master’s degree in aerospace engineering, and spent hot summers working on her thesis research in an old aerodynamics lab with advisor Don Wilson. Chawla is remembered as a trailblazer and an inspiration to aspiring Indian and Indian-American scientists. Wilson, now a professor and associate chair of UTA’s mechanical and aerospace engineering department, remembers her as a hardworking student who went by KC to friends. “As long as I teach, you deal with a lot of students … some of them you stay in touch with, and some of them you never hear from again,” Wilson said. “She was one that we stayed in touch with, and I was always glad that we were able to do that.” ‘She ... had a real desire to make something of herself’ Chawla was born in Karnal, India, in 1962. She watched planes soar through the air at the local flying club with her father, sparking her interest in the sky...

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On February 1, 2003, as the world waited for the return of the Space Shuttle Columbia flight STS-107, it disintegrated over Texas during its re-entry into the earth’s atmosphere. The disaster killed a seven-member crew including Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian woman to have been to space. Seventeen years later, her father, Banarasi Lal Chawla, says that Kalpana had one dream only - that no child, especially girls, should ever be deprived of education. Chawla opens up about his daughter, whom he lovingly called ‘Mantu’, in a new docu-series for National Geographic, Mega Icons. Ecstatic about the documentary, the proud father believes that the more people get to know who his daughter really was, the more they’ll aspire to become like her. Kalpana, who was born in Karnal, started working at the NASA Ames Research Center in 1988. In 1997, she became the first Indian woman and second Indian to fly to space in her flight on the Space Shuttle Columbia. In 2000, Kalpana was selected for her second flight as a part of the crew of STS-107 but it turned out to be her last. Kalpana was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, NASA Space Flight Medal and NASA Distinguished Service Medal. In order to honour her, NASA named one of its spacecraft after Kalpana Chawla. The resupply spacecraft reached the International Space station (ISS) this week, carrying nearly 8,000 pounds of scientific investigations. “Kalpana was about three or four years old when she first saw a...

Wednesday, Sep 09, 2020 Kalpana Chawla (MSAE ’84) inspired thousands of young people in her native India and in the U.S. as she became the first Indian-born woman to become a NASA astronaut. Kalpana Chawla On September 8, NASA announced that Northrop Grumman has named the next Cygnus spacecraft launching to the International Space Station in Chawla’s honor. The spacecraft is scheduled to lift off on September 29. Chawla was a member of the crew of seven aboard Space Shuttle Columbia on February 1, 2003, when it broke apart during re-entry after 16 days in orbit, 16 minutes prior to its scheduled landing at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Chawla was the second UTA graduate to become an astronaut, following in the footsteps of Robert L. Stewart (MSAE ’72). Chawla’s path to becoming an astronaut began in Karnal, India. She knew that she wanted to be an aerospace engineer at an early age. She graduated from Tagore School in Karnal in 1976 and earned a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering from India's Punjab Engineering College in 1982. Then, she moved to the United States to attend graduate school at UTA, where she was involved in an experimental research program to develop a novel propulsion system using a cross-flow fan installed in the wing of an aircraft. After earning her master’s degree, she moved to Boulder, Colo., to pursue a doctorate in aerospace engineering at the University of Colorado, which she earned in 1988. Chawla’s career with NASA began in 1988 whe...

February 1 is observed with a sense of sadness each year as it was on this day when Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian-origin woman to venture into space, passed away along with her crewmates in 2003. She was one of the seven astronauts in the space shuttle, Columbia, that exploded over the southern United States during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Early life Kalpana, who was born in Haryana's Karnal in 1962, was the youngest of four siblings and had a fascination for astronomy from an early age. In an interview with National Geographic, Kalpana's mother Sanyogita Chawla said that when they used to sleep on the terrace, her young daughter would stare at the stars and ask about the glittering clusters. Ever since her childhood, Kalpana had an interest in aeroplanes along with hiking and reading, which took her to NASA following a Master's degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas, in 1984. Graduating with a degree in aeronautical engineering from Punjab Engineering College, Kalpana headed for Texas for her Master's, following which she gained a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado. Journey to NASA A former NASA member, Kalpana held a certificated flight instructor's license with airplane and glider ratings as well as commercial pilot's licenses for single and multi-engine land and seaplanes. It is worth mentioning that Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata, the founder of Air India and India's first li...

Kalpana Chawla Born: March 17, 1962 Died: February 1, 2003 Born on March 17, 1962, in the city of Karnal in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. She was born to Banarasi Lal Chawla, who was a businessman, and Sanjyothi Chawla, who was a social worker. She had a difficult upbringing due to the fact that she was the youngest daughter. From the time she was a baby, she was referred to as Montu by her parents. Upon entering school, Chawla was the first in her family to choose her own name. A person's "thought" or "imagination" is represented by the name 'Kalpana'. K.C. was a moniker she used to go by. Flying, trekking, backpacking, and reading were some of her favorite activities. It was 1997 when Kalpana Chawla became the first Indian woman in space, breaking ground for future generations. As a result of Columbia's destruction on February 1, 2003, Chawla was killed. Upon re-entry, the spacecraft split apart, killing all seven people inside. After her death, Chawla's legacy has been preserved. This is the story of extraordinary talent who, through her dedication and hard work, was able to realize her aspirations and become an inspiration to young people in India and throughout the globe. Education Chawla went to Tagore Baal Niketan Senior Secondary School in Karnal for her primary and secondary schooling in India. NASA encouraged the school to participate in their Summer Space Experience Program after Chawla went on to become a NASA astronaut. Chawla was adamant about ensuring t...

Born into a conservative family in a provincial town in Haryana, Kalpana Chawla dreamt of the stars. And through sheer hard work, indomitable intelligence and immense faith in herself, she became the first PBI - Indian woman to travel to space, and even more remarkably, to travel twice. In this well-researched biography, journalist Anil Padmanabhan talks to people who knew her-- family and friends at Karnal, and colleagues at NASA--to produce a moving portrait of a woman whose life was a shining affirmation that if you have a dream, no matter how hard it is, you can achieve it. This book is a biography based on Kalpana Chawla who was one of the seven member crew of Columbia space shuttle , that disintegrated on it's return journey to Earth on 1st Feb, 2003.Not delving into too much of details , this biography deals with the highlights of her career and the important events in her life , starting from her childhood, which helped her to achieve all that she dreamed of. She dreamed and always worked towards achieving her dreams and in the process she beat a lot of odds.It is an inspiring book, for everyone to dare to dream things which are not conventional in one's social set-up. It highlights Kalpana's vigour for life, generosity, intelligence and hunger to push boundaries, all done in sincere way by keeping a focus on her goal. Shy and unassuming by nature, she let her work speak for her capabilities. She always believed and told people that they should do whatever made the...

Bio Real Name Kalpana Chawla Nickname Monto Profession Astronaut Physical Stats & More Height (approx.) in centimeters- 163 cm in meters- 1.63 m in Feet Inches- 5’ 4” Eye Colour Dark Brown Hair Colour Black Personal Life Date of Birth 17 March 1962 (Real) 1 July 1961 (Official) Date of Death 1 February 2003 Place of Birth Karnal, Haryana, India Place of Death Aboard Space Shuttle Columbia over Texas, U.S. Death Cause Space Shuttle Columbia disaster (Accident) which killed all 7 crew members Age (as on 1 February 2003) 40 Years Zodiac sign/Sun sign Cancer Nationality American Hometown Texas, U.S. School Tagore Bal Niketan School, Karnal College/University Dyal Singh College, Karnal, Haryana Punjab Engineering College (PEC), Chandigarh, India The University of Texas, Arlington, Texas, U.S. The University of Colorado, Boulder, U.S. Educational Qualifications Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas Second Masters and a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado Family Father- Banarasi Lal Chawla Mother- Sanjyothi Chawla Brother- Sanjay Sister- Sunita, Dipa, and 1 other Religion Hinduism Hobbies Reading Poetry, playing Badminton, dancing Career NASA Missions STS-87, STS-107 Combined Time Spent in Space 31 days 14 hours and 54 minutes Combined Distance Travelled 10.67 million km Awards (Posthumous) • Congressional Space Medal of Honor • NASA Space Fli...

Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian American woman astronaut, was born on March 17, 1962, in Karnal, India, to Syongita (Devi) and Banarsi Lal Chawla, the owner of a tire manufacturing plant. As a child she dreamed of becoming an astronaut after being inspired by Jehangir R. D. “JRD” Tata, the pilot of the first mail flights in India and owner of Tata Air Services. She graduated from the Tagore Baal Niketan Senior Secondary School in Karnal in 1976. In 1978 she attended Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh, India. There she was the first woman to enroll in aerospace engineering courses and one of four women in the engineering program. She graduated with a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering in 1982, then moved to the United States. In 1984 Chawla received a master of science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. While in Arlington, she met Jean-Pierre Harrison, a licensed pilot. They married in Tarrant County on December 2, 1983. At the University of Colorado, she earned a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering in 1988. After completing her education, Chawla worked on power-lift computational fluid dynamics for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). At the NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California, she researched complex airflows during vertical/short takeoffs and landings for aircrafts such as Harriers. She became a naturalized citizen of the United States in April 1991 and applied for NASA’s...