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 First
Indian woman in space ...Born on 1962, in Karnal,
India. Kalpana enjoyed flying, hiking, back-packing, and reading.
Kalpana completed her
Graduation from Tagore School, Karnal, India,
in 1976. Bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from Punjab
Engineering College, India, 1982. Master of science degree in aerospace
engineering from University of Texas, 1984. Doctorate of philosophy in aerospace
engineering from University of Colorado, 1988.
Also she held a
Certificated Flight Instructor's license with airplane and glider
ratings, Commercial Pilot's licenses for single- and multi-engine land
and seaplanes, and Gliders, and instrument rating for airplanes. She
enjoyed flying aerobatics and tail-wheel airplanes.
In 1988, Kalpana Chawla
started work at NASA Ames Research Center in the area of powered-lift
computational fluid dynamics. Her research concentrated on simulation
of complex air flows encountered around aircraft such as the Harrier
in "ground-effect."
In 1993 Kalpana Chawla
joined Overset Methods Inc., Los Altos, California, as Vice President
and Research Scientist to form a team with other researchers
specializing in simulation of moving multiple body problems. She was
responsible for development and implementation of efficient techniques
to perform aerodynamic optimization.
In December 1994, she
was selected by NASA and reported to the Johnson Space Center in March
1995 as an astronaut candidate in the 15th Group of Astronauts. After
completing a year of training and evaluation, she was assigned as crew
representative to work technical issues for the Astronaut Office
EVA/Robotics and Computer Branches.
In November, 1996, Kalpana Chawla
was assigned as mission specialist and prime robotic arm operator on
STS-87. She flew on STS-87 (1997) and STS-107 (2003) and has logged 30
days, 14 hours and 54 minutes in space.
STS-107 Columbia (January 16 to February 1, 2003), The
16-day flight was a dedicated science and research mission. Working 24 hours a
day, in two alternating shifts, the crew successfully conducted approximately 80
experiments. The STS-107 mission ended abruptly on February 1, 2003 when Space
Shuttle Columbia and her crew perished during entry, 16 minutes prior to
scheduled landing.
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