Kalpana Chawla

Kalpana Chawla was an American astronaut and aerospace engineer. She was born in Karnal, India, in 1962. She was the first Indian American woman to fly in space. Tragically, she lost her life during the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003.

Early Life

Chawla was fascinated by airplanes as a child in India. She earned an engineering degree in India and then moved to the United States for graduate studies. She studied aerospace engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. She became a U.S. citizen and joined NASA in 1994.

Space Missions

Chawla first flew to space in 1997 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. She spent over 15 days in space on her first mission. On her second mission in 2003, the Columbia broke apart during re-entry. All seven crew members were lost. She is remembered as a hero and an inspiration.

Fun Facts

• Kalpana Chawla logged over 30 days in space during her two missions.
• A hill on Mars was named 'Chawla Hill' in her honor.
• She is a hero in India and has schools and scholarships named after her.

Did You Know?

Kalpana Chawla's first name means 'imagination' in Sanskrit. She once said, 'The path from dreams to success does exist.'