Kalpana Chawla

Kalpana Chawla was an Indian-born American astronaut and aerospace engineer, and the first woman of Indian origin to travel to space.

Kalpana Chawla was an Indian-born American astronaut and aerospace engineer, and the first woman of Indian origin to travel to space. She flew on Space Shuttle Columbia on missions STS-87 in 1997 and STS-107 in 2003, and died in the Columbia disaster during re-entry. NASA records that she logged 30 days, 14 hours and 54 minutes in space.

Early life and education

Chawla was born in Karnal, India, and studied aeronautical engineering before moving to the United States for graduate study. She completed a master's degree and a doctorate in aerospace engineering.

NASA career

She began working at NASA’s Ames Research Center in 1988 and became an astronaut in 1994. Her first mission was STS-87, where she served as mission specialist and robotic arm operator.

Space missions and death

Chawla flew twice on Space Shuttle Columbia, in 1997 and 2003. She died with six other crew members in the Columbia disaster during re-entry on February 1, 2003. NASA records that she logged 30 days, 14 hours and 54 minutes in space.

Recognition and legacy

Chawla received major posthumous honours from NASA and the U.S. government, including the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, NASA Space Flight Medal, and NASA Distinguished Service Medal. She remains a prominent figure in science education and in the history of Indian and Indian-American spaceflight.