Kalpana Chawla was the first spacewoman of India. She was an Astronaut and an Engineer. She was born in Karnal on 17 March 1962, in a small town in Haryana. She was inspired by J R D Tata who was the first pilot.
Kalpana was an intelligent and bright student. She had done schooling from Karnal’s Tagore School in Punjab. She later studied Aeronautical Engineering Punjab University. She was the only girl student in her batch.
She went to America and took admission to complete her post-graduation. Kalpana Chawla did her PhD from the University of Colorado Boulder and then she got a doctorate degree. After that, she went to NASA in 1994.
From childhood, she wanted to go to space. She wanted to go to space to be on the Moon. Kalpana Chawla went to her first space mission in 1997. This mission was very successful. After this, She went on her second mission in space.
There were six members with her who went with her. She went in a shuttle, and its name was “Columbia Flight.” A Space Shuttle is a shuttle in which astronauts go to space. The crew does many experiments in space. They also studied Earth.
After the mission, the shuttle was coming back to Earth. When the shuttle was entering the atmosphere of Earth, the gases damaged the shuttle. The spacecraft broke apart because of this damage. All the members died in this accident.
Kalpana Chawla is now considered a national hero of India. She died but she inspired many people who wish to go to space. She worked hard and fulfilled all her dreams.
She inspires every girl who wants to become an Engineer. She was a hardworking and brave woman.
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Questions on Kalpana Chawala
Who was Kalpana Chawla?
Kalpana Chawla was the first space women of Indian origin.
Where is Kalpana Chawla born?
She was born in Karnal which is a small town in Haryana.
What are the achievements of Kalpana Chawla?
Kalpana Chawla was the first spacewoman of India. She went to her first space mission in year 19 November 1997. After this, She went on her second mission in 2003 space. They made many experiments in space.
How Kalpna Chawla died?
After the mission, the shuttle was coming back to Earth on 1 February 2003. When the shuttle was entering the atmosphere of Earth, the gases damaged the shuttle. The spacecraft broke apart because of this damage. All the members died in this accident.
Vocabulary
- Astronaut – Who goes to space
- NASA – It is an agency where Astronauts work (The National Aeronautics and Space Administration)