Contents
Kalpana Chawla
Becoming the first woman of Indian origin to travel into space.
STS-87 · STS-107 experiments
- Born
- 1962
- Birthplace
- Karnal, Haryana, India
- Died
- 1 February 2003
More people
Kalpana Chawla
An aerospace engineer and NASA astronaut who flew twice aboard Columbia. Her work ranged from computer modelling of airflow to experiments in microgravity.
Early life
Karnal schooling
Grew up in Karnal and pursued an early interest in aviation.
Engineering education
Studied at Punjab Engineering College, then earned graduate degrees in Texas and Colorado.
Birth-date records
Published accounts disagree on her birthday, so no exact day is assigned here.
Career
- 1988
NASA research
Began work at Ames Research Center on computational fluid dynamics.
- 1994–1995
Astronaut selection
Was selected by NASA and entered training.
- 1997
First spaceflight
Flew on STS-87.
- 2003
STS-107
Worked on a dedicated science mission; died with the crew during Columbia’s return.
Missions & research
STS-87
Conducted research and operated the shuttle’s robotic arm.
STS-107 experiments
Supported a programme studying physical and biological processes in microgravity.
Aerodynamics research
Developed computational approaches to complex airflow around aircraft.
Beyond space
Flying
Held pilot and flight-instructor qualifications.
Family
Married flight instructor Jean-Pierre Harrison in 1983.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗NASA astronaut biography ↗Photo: NASA. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
