Kalpana Chawla
NASA astronaut; first woman of Indian origin in space
- Lived
- 40 yrs
- 1962 – 2003
- Works listed
- 0
- Career highlights
- Honours
- 1
- Most recent 2003
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Kalpana Chawla was an aerospace engineer and NASA astronaut from Karnal, Haryana, who became the first woman of Indian origin to fly in space in 1997. She died with her six crewmates when Space Shuttle Columbia broke up on re-entry in 2003.
Biography
From Karnal to NASA
Chawla studied aeronautical engineering at Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, then moved to the United States, earning a master’s from the University of Texas at Arlington and a PhD in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder. She worked on computational fluid dynamics at NASA’s Ames Research Center, became a US citizen and was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1995.
Early life
Kalpana Chawla was the youngest of four children in a Punjabi family in Karnal. Fascinated by aircraft from childhood, she was the only woman in her aeronautical engineering class at Punjab Engineering College. She held pilot licences for aeroplanes, gliders and seaplanes and was a certified flight instructor.
Missions
In November 1997 she flew on Space Shuttle Columbia mission STS-87 as a mission specialist, becoming the first woman of Indian origin in space. She returned to space on STS-107 in January 2003; on 1 February 2003 Columbia disintegrated over Texas during re-entry, killing all seven astronauts. She was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, and many scholarships, institutions and a satellite in India bear her name.
STS-87
On her first flight in November 1997 aboard Columbia, she operated the robotic arm to deploy the Spartan satellite, which malfunctioned; a spacewalk was later needed to recapture it. A NASA review traced the problem to errors in software and procedures rather than blaming her. She logged more than 30 days in space across her two missions.
Legacy
India named its first weather satellite, Metsat-1, “Kalpana-1” in her memory in 2003. Schools, scholarships, a hostel at Punjab Engineering College and an asteroid carry her name, and NASA named a supercomputer after her. She remains an inspiration to young people, especially girls, across India.
Timeline
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1962
Born in Karnal, Punjab (now Haryana)
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1982
Graduates in aeronautical engineering
Punjab Engineering College.
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1988
Joins NASA Ames Research Center
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1991
Becomes a US citizen
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1995
Selected as a NASA astronaut
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1997
First spaceflight, STS-87
-
2003
Dies in the Columbia disaster
1 February.
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2003
India names the Kalpana-1 satellite in her memory
-
2003
Died, aged 40
Awards and honours
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Congressional Space Medal of Honor
2003 · Awarded posthumously.
Did you know?
-
1
She was the only woman in her aeronautical engineering class.
-
2
India’s first dedicated weather satellite was renamed Kalpana-1 after her.
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3
She was a certified flight instructor.
Gallery
Connections
Frequently asked
Who is Kalpana Chawla?
Kalpana Chawla was an aerospace engineer and NASA astronaut from Karnal, Haryana, who became the first woman of Indian origin to fly in space in 1997. She died with her six crewmates when Space Shuttle Columbia broke up on re-entry in 2003.
When did Kalpana Chawla die?
Kalpana Chawla died on 1 February 2003 at the age of 40.
Where is Kalpana Chawla from?
Kalpana Chawla was born in Karnal, Punjab (now Haryana).
What is Kalpana Chawla known for?
Kalpana Chawla is best known for Space Shuttle missions STS-87 and STS-107; died in the Columbia disaster.
What awards has Kalpana Chawla received?
Notable honours include Congressional Space Medal of Honor (2003).
Who is Kalpana Chawla married to?
Spouse: Jean-Pierre Harrison.
References
- Kalpana Chawla — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Kalpana Chawla — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Kalpana Chawla — IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Kalpana Chawla — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Kalpana Chawla (Q237879) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editors; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal
- First published 26 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Kalpana Chawla.” TrackFame, last updated 26 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/kalpana-chawla
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