The name of Indian-origin female astronaut Kalpana Chawla has been recorded in the pages of history forever. Kalpana Chawla was the first Indian-origin woman to go to space.
Kalpana had a dream, which she devoted her whole life to fulfilling. She reached space at a young age. She achieved a great achievement. Kalpana extended the name and value of India from abroad to space.
Even in the last moment of her life, she was aboard a vehicle, which was going to travel to space. It was such a great loss that the flight of a promising Indian woman was stopped forever after the Columbia Space Shuttle crashed.
Kalpana Chawla became an example for every woman in the world. Whenever the name of space, female astronaut comes, Kalpana Chawla's name will be remembered.
Today it was the birthday of Kalpana Chawla, the first woman astronaut to go to space. On the occasion of Kalpana Chawla's birthday, know interesting things about her.
Female astronaut Kalpana Chawla was born on 17 March 1962 in Karnal, Haryana. Kalpana's father was Banarasi Lal and her mother's name was Sanjyoti Chawla. The youngest Kalpana in the house started dreaming of space, flight etc. from an early age.
The youngest of her siblings, Kalpana completed her early education from Tagore Bal Niketan Senior Secondary School, Karnal. She was interested in science since childhood.
Growing up, she dreamed of becoming a flight engineer and to fulfil this dream, she enrolled in aeronautical engineering, at Punjab Engineering College.
Kalpana Chawla's Dream and Career
After this, Kalpana went to America for further studies. When Kalpana left the country and went to America, she was only 20 years old. Over two years, Kalpana earned her master's degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas here.
After this, in the year 1986, Kalpana obtained her second master's degree. Then in 1988, she did her PhD in Aerospace Engineering. After completing her studies, Kalpana got a commercial pilot's license and became a certified flight instructor.
During this, Kalpana married John Pierre of France, who himself was also a flying instructor. After this, Kalpana applied to NASA for the first time in 1993 but her application was rejected.
Again in 1995 and this time NASA selected Kalpana Chawla as an astronaut. After all the preparation and training, finally, in 1998, Kalpana got the opportunity to fly for the first time in space.
During this, Kalpana spent 372 hours in space. After which she became the first woman in India to go to space.
Kalpana did not want to stop her dreams and flight here. In the year 2000, she was again selected for space travel. With Columbia Flight STS 107 took off on 16 January 2003, but on 1 February 2003, the Columbia spacecraft crashed while entering Earth orbit.
The mission failed and all seven people in question died, including one Kalpana Chawla.