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KALPANA CHAVLA
Kalpana Chawla was born in Karnal, Haryana, India ON MARCH 17 1961 -
BACHELORS OF ENGINERING
Kalpana Chawla earned a Bachelor of Engineering (BE) degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh. -
NASA CAREER BEGINS
Kalpana Chawla joined NASA's Ames Research Center as a Research Scientist, specializing in fluid dynamics, including simulations of aircraft flight in various atmospheric conditions. -
NASA ASTRONAUT SELECTION
She was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in December 1991. -
FIRST SPACE FLIGHT
Kalpana Chawla made her first spaceflight aboard Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-87 mission), where she became the first woman of Indian descent to fly in space. The mission lasted for 15 days, 16 hours, and 34 minutes. -
SECOND SPACE FLIGHT
Kalpana Chawla embarked on her second space mission, STS-107 aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. The mission was a science and research mission, and she conducted experiments in space. -
TRAGIC ACCCIDENT
Tragically, Kalpana Chawla died in the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster. The shuttle broke apart upon reentry into the Earth's atmosphere during the mission's return to Earth. All seven crew members, including Chawla, lost their lives. -
DEATH
Kalpana Chawla tragically passed away on February 1, 2003, in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. This was during the STS-107 mission, which was a scientific research mission in space.