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“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.”

– Kalpana Chawla, at her first launch

 

A starry-eyed woman who imagined the world and brought that idea to life, Kalpana Chawla was born in Karnal, India, on March 17, 1962, and grew up in a family where her parents from Multan, Pakistan had moved to Karnal, Haryana. Perhaps it was a foregleam that made her parents name her "Kalpana", meaning "idea" or “imagination”, because while other girls of her age liked to play with dolls, Kalpana chose to draw &color planes and had a curious mind.

"She insisted on seeing a plane from close distance. That time we had the Karnal Flying Club a few kilometers away, so I contacted a senior officer there whom I had met a few months ago and he invited us to visit the Club.” Her father, Banarasi Lal Chawla, said in an interview.

 

Early Life of Kalpana Chawla

Being a bright child, Kalpana’s tendency was clear from the beginning. Focusing on the education of Kalpana Chawla, she completed her undergraduate studies at Tagore School, Karnal followed by an undergraduate degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh. 

After his bachelor's, considering the vast number of opportunities available in design, construction & research, and development in the USA, he moved to complete his master’s in the USA from the University of Texas in the 1980s. After that, he graduated with a doctorate in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado in 1988 and progressed toward his bright dreams.

 

Career as Astronaut

Chawla began working at NASA's Ames Research Center, working on computational fluid dynamics. Later, in 1994, she was appointed astronaut and a representative of the Astronaut Office EVA team. After a few years of training, he was fully equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to manage Robotic Situational Awareness Displays and to test space software.

She is an example of countless Indian women; she was an ordinary girl with long dreams and indestructible courage that made her the first Indian woman and the second Indian to fly in space.

 

Kalpana Chawla Space missions

For those who are wondering how many times Kalpana Chawla has gone into space, they will be surprised to know that she has completed 2 space Missions! Being the mission specialist and primary robotic arm reporter on her first flight Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997, Kalpana was the only woman who was part of the six-astronaut crew. Their space shuttle took over 250 orbits around the earth in just a span of two weeks. For the main purpose of studying the outer layer of the sun, the team performed many experiments apart from the deployment of a Spartan satellite from the shuttle. 

In 2004, NASA dedicated a supercomputer to Kalpana at NASA Ames Research Center. It was the world’s first single-system Linus supercomputer.

Following this, Kalpana ventured for her second voyage into space with seven crew members including herself in STS-107 which was her last. The mission that was supposed to start in 2000 was often delayed and finally launched in 2003. During its 16-day voyage, the crew carried out more than 80 experiments and it was a successful mission when on the morning of 1 February 2003, the plane crashed as it entered Earth's atmosphere and no one survived in the disintegration. On February 01, 2003, she died.

For her career achievements and significant contribution to the country, Kalpana Chawla has received several awards including the prestigious NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the Congressional Space Medal of Honour, and the NASA Space Flight Medal.

With her 30 days, 14 hours, and 54 minutes in space during her two space missions, Kalpana explored the intricacies of space.

Kalpana's death was not in vain because several doors of opportunities were opened for others who wished to follow in her footsteps. She will be remembered as the first Indian woman who never let her racial background prevent her from setting foot in space. Kalpana’s greatest contribution to humankind was proving that every goal is attainable when there is an inextinguishable inner fire.