NASA was shortlisting trained, talented and worthy ones to make a team that would undertake an ambitious space research. Kalpana Chawla was also an aspirant. NASA had received 2962 applications of eligible candidates for the mission. Out of 2962 only six would finally make the team.
Project was to send the final chosen team into space on Space Shuttle to conduct experiments for more than 17 days orbiting around the earth. The prospects were very exciting and for Kalpana it would be dream come true if she made it to the team.
Only half a dozen seats were available and the aspirants were too many. All the applicants were highly qualified, well trained in various space related aspects and achievers in their own aeronautical fields. None was push over or worth disqualifying off hand. Selection process was very demanding.
Anyway, the selectors shortlisted 120 candidates out of 2962 after a lot of considerations regarding the merits of the applicants. Kalpana Chawla was among the shortlisted ones to the delight of J.P. She herself was beyond joy.
The 120 selected candidates were put to lot of tests and examinations. 23 were further shortlisted from the selected 120. Kalpana name again figured in the second short list. The excitement of Kalpana reached the feverish pitch. The aim was to make it to the final six.
J.P. kept her morale up. Kalpana was a little anxious but her innerself was confident because till that time Kalpana had achieved everything she strove for. The failure never became her lot. Why would her luck desert her at this most important hour?
At last, the final six names were announced who would make the Space Shuttle Mission S.T.A.-87. It would be 15th team of space scientists that was being sent to space for experiments. The Indian origin, Kalpana Chawla’s name was in the list. It was a day of December, 1994 that brought to Kalpana the most glorious news of her life.
She was all set to become one of the most qualified space travellers. Her husband J.P. was the first to congratulate her. Congratulations poured in from the family members, relatives, friends, colleagues, her ex-classmates, teachers and the political dignitaries.
It was the red-letter day of her life.
Congratulation euphoria soon ended and the real hard work began. In March, 1995 Kalpana was sent to Johnson Space Center for regorous training to prepare her for the space journey along with other team members. For one year all the members went through gruelling physical and mental toughening exercises besides familiarisation with space instruments, gadgets, craft, simulated experience of Space Shuttle environment and life of weightlessness. Kalpana was the lone female member of the team.
She successfully completed the training. Now there was no stopping her from going into the space. J.P. and Kalpana waited for that magic moment when she would rocket into the space.
At last, Kalpana along with her team-mates entered the Space Shuttle on 19 November, 1997 which stood strapped to towering rocket boosters at Kennedy Space Center situated in Florida. Count down had began already. Control room was doing the last minute checking as zero count neared. The chief of the mission control was checking up things with the astronauts.
Columbia Space Transport Station-87 was readying for the boost off. NASA had invited the close relatives, friends, and aquaintances of the astronauts besides the reputed scientists to witness the blast off. As one of the space travellers was of Indian origin, two Indian scientists were also the invitees.
The astronauts, on their own could also invite some special ones of their own choice. Kalpana invited her family members, Indian ambassador to Australia and ex-deputy secretary of Indian ambassy in USA, Mr. T.P. Srinivasan. They all were present to witness the momentous event.
At the appointed time to dot, countdown ended, the rocket boosters got ignited and with a thunderous boom Columbia (Space Shuttle) Mission STS-87 lifted up from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. In a couple of minutes Columbia disappeared into the skies. Take-off was successful and everything with and inside Space Shuttle was perfectly functioning as programmed.
Sometime later, Columbia Space Shuttle began orbitting the earth. All the crew members were fine and fit.
Then, Indian Prime Minister, Inder Kumar Gujral talked to Kalpana Chawla on phone, “How do you feel orbitting up there in the space?”
“Feeling great to be an Indian,” Kalpana replied, “I am looking at the earth world from a new angle.”
Her reply pleased the Prime Minister who was proud of her like rest of the other Indians. He could not help quoting a famous couplet—“Sitaron se aage jahan aur bhi hain…” (There are worlds youder the stars…)
Besides the P.M. Kalpana talked to her family members also which gave her pleasure beyond words. And the family members naturally were happy at the fantastic achievement of one of their very own. J.P. was proud of his wife.
Inside the orbitting Columbia Space Shuttle, the team members were busy in their own specific duties and experiments. The six person crew consisted of— the commander, one pilot, two mission specialists and two pay load specialists.
Kalpana was Mission Specialist No. One.
During the orbit suddenly some problems cropped up for Kalpana. Unwittingly she began to miss things although later it was proved that the misses were not due to her incompetence or negligence. But she had to bear with for the present the responsiblity for those misses.
During the space research, in the course of the pay-load operation Kalpana missed some step and as a result two scientists of the Mission Specialists had to walk out of the shuttle with gloves on to save the 3000 pound satellite. The satellite was for the study of the sun, but because of that mistake a lot of valuable research data was lost for ever.
All the other experiments assigned to the Columbia. S.T.S-87 were carried out successfully. After completing all the planned researches and orbitting the earth for 17 days, 16 hours and 32 minutes, the Space Shuttle safely returned to earth on 15th December, 1997.
Kalpana was back home after achieving more than what she had dreamt of in her young years. She had flown far beyond any bird or aeroplane ever had. A glory for the country of her birth and family she had earned. Banarsidas and Sanyogita Chawla’s little Monto had really made them the proudest couple of the country.
Kalpana became the hottest celebrity in India as the country was enraptured of her incredible achievement.
To fulfil the wish of the people of her country of birth Kalpana and her husband paid a visit to India. The couple was feted and accorded an overwhelming reception by the relatives, friends, well wishers, Kalpana’s ex-teachers, politicians and others. J.P. too was getting the first taste of Indian hospitality and emotional overdose.
The friends of Kalpana were agog at her really fantastic feat and accomplishment. Kalpana had become a youth ‘icon’. For the ecstatic children she was ‘Kalpana Didi’ and the incredulous elders ‘Karnal Ki Beti’ (the daughter of Karnal). J.P. was surprised at the euphoric mood and the emotionalism of Indians. The attachment of the members of the family to each other was what he had never imagined.
J.P. already was a fan of Indian culture and now he had unwittingly become a part of it which he liked very much. Few thoughts and imaginations about India and its people surged in his heart. It was an overwhelming experience. For the first time he realised that marrying an Indian girl really meant marrying a whole country spiritually.
Kalpana was beseiged by media people who wanted interviews and photo session. One of the typical question she was asked everywhere was—“Who do you credit your achievement to? And who inspired you most?”
Kalpana would say graciously, “There are so many people behind my success.” Then she would add with a smile, “The first one who comes to my mind is my eldest sister Pinky (Sunita). In my school teachers I would name, Miss Nirmala, Miss Rama, Dr. Sareen and Mrs. Santosh Arora specially. They all encouraged me as a student and inspired me. Then I must mention Miss Kusum, the physics teacher of D.A.V. college who kindled scientific curiosity in my mind that always showed rays of light to me even in my darkest hours and it spot-lighted my goal. I can’t forget the contribution of Professor V.S. Malhotra of P.E.C. who proved a real guru to me. It was his encouragement and guidance that sent me to U.S.A. He toiled a lot for me.
In America, I didn’t come close to many people. Books were my companions and guide and they inspired me. I also drew inspiration from Mike Collins and John Young who were the members of Apollo Mission…Petty Wagstaff, the three time winner of ‘Unlimited Aerobatic’ championship. There were some others…who worked for my success…who cooperated with me in everyway and provided vital guidance but naming them won’t be proper or necessary…”
Another query—“As a space traveller, how did NASA select you?”
“The selection is an one thing,” Kalpana replied and added, “and achieving the target practically is another matter. Infact, realising the goal is not that easy. About the selection I can’t really say on what merits or considerations the selectors opted for me. During the interviews the selectors used to say that rejecting anyone was not in their power or possible for them because all the aspirants were very qualified persons…perhaps they thought that reaching the dicision via toss route could be easier. That’s how it was more or less.”
A correspondent asked, “Will you come back if India started similar project?”
“I hope so,” said Kalpana in reply and after a thought remarked, “I wouldn’t have come to India if I had no longing for the country of my birth.”
Kalpana loved her home town though many others thought it was a boorish Haryana town. Once, a correspondent asked her in a T.V. show—while she was at NASA, questions relating to her life and places, she proudly claimed, “I belong to Karnal town of India.”
Shopping Cart