Born in Karnal, India on 1 July 1961, Dr. Chawla enjoys flying, hiking, backpacking, and reading.
Graduated 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.
Dr. Chawla was hired by MCAT Institute, San Jose, California, as a Research Scientist to support research in the area of powered fin at NASA Ames Research Center, California, in 1988. She was responsible for simulation and analysis of flow physics pertaining to the operation of powered lift aircraft such as the Harrier in ground effect.
In 1993 Dr. 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. Results of various projects that Dr. Chawla participated in are documented in technical conference papers and Journals.
Selected by NASA in December 1994, Dr. Chawla reported to the Johnson Space Center in March 1995. After completing a year of training and evaluation, she was assigned to work technical issues for the Robotics and Computer Branches. Dr. Chawla will serve as a mission specialist on the crew of the fourth U-S, Microgravity Payload flight scheduled for an November 1997 launch on board Columbia on mission STS-87.
A strong desire to travel beyond the blue yonder, to fly into the heavens and touch the stars some day…was all that Kalpana Chawla dreamt of.
Determined to the core Kalpana worked towards making her vision a reality. For this first female Indian-born NASA astronaut castles were not to be build on air but its foundation laid strong on earth.
Hailing from a traditional middle-class family, Kalpana was the youngest of the four children. Different from her peers even as a young girl, sketching and painting airplanes were more her forte than dressing up Barbie dolls.
A brilliant academic record straight through school Kalpana took part in almost everything, from athletics to dance to science modeling. When she decided to join the Bachelor’s Degree from Punjab University in Chandigarh, she happened to be the only girl in the aeronautics batch. Her family initial resisted her decision but they also knew that she was one determined woman and nothing could stop her.
Kalpana Chawla enjoyed flying aerobatics and tail-wheel airplanes, hiking, backpacking, and reading. She had 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.
At the age of 35 when most of the men are trying to build a career, her career graph had reached its peak. She was one among the seven-member crew on Columbia which spent 16 days in orbit studying the effects of micro gravity on a variety of materials.
She was one of more than 2000 applicants for a civilian scientist’s position on Columbia’s voyage. According to NASA her academic accomplishments, intense physical fitness and experience as a pilot made her a natural choice. Carving her identity in an otherwise men’s domain she comfortably shoulders her male colleagues.
Her second flight was a moment of joy for all Indians. Her return was eagerly awaited, but fate had other plans. On 1 February 2003 when the space ship was just 16 minutes away from the earth, it exploded in the atmosphere. All the crew members including Kalpana Chawla died. She will always be an inspiration to many young men and women as she has paved the way for them to dream.
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