→Second space mission and death: Corrected statement from source book cited. The book says, "a memorial service was held for Kalpana Chawla at Zion National Monument in Utah, one of her favorite places" – NOT "in accordance with her wishes" as the article claimed.
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{{Short description|Indian-born American astronaut (1962–2003)}}
{{pp-vandalism|expiry=13 June 2012|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox astronaut
{{Infobox astronaut
|name =Kalpana Chawla
|name = Kalpana Chawla
| type=[[NASA]]Astronaut
|image = Kalpana Chawla, NASA photo portrait in orange suit.jpg
|birth_date = {{birth date|1962|3|17}}
| image =Kalpana Chawla, NASA photo portrait in orange suit.jpg
|birth_place = [[Karnal]], [[Haryana]], India
| birth_date =July 1, 1961
|death_date = {{dda|2003|2|1|1961|7|1}}
|death_date = {{death date and age|2003|2|1|1962|3|17}}
| birth_place =[[Karnal]], [[Haryana]], [[India]]
|death_place = Over [[Texas]], U.S
|death_cause = [[Space Shuttle Columbia disaster]]
| death_place =Over [[Texas]]
|resting_place = [[Arlington National Cemetery]], [[Arlington County, Virginia]], U.S. |citizenship = {{ubl|India (1962–1996)|United States (1991–2003)}}
|education = [[Punjab Engineering College]] ([[Bachelor of Engineering|BEng]])<br/>[[University of Texas, Arlington]] ([[Master of Science|MS]])<br/>[[University of Colorado, Boulder]] ([[Master of Science|MS]], [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]])
| selection =[[List of astronauts by selection#1994|1994 NASA Group]]
|awards = {{ubl|[[Congressional Space Medal of Honor]]|[[NASA Distinguished Service Medal]]|[[NASA Space Flight Medal]]}}
| time =31days 14hours 54minutes
| mission =[[STS-87]], [[STS-107]]
|type = [[NASA astronaut]]
|time = 31d 14h 54m<ref name="nasahsf">{{cite web |url=https://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/archives/sts-107/memorial/chawla.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041106130646/http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/archives/sts-107/memorial/chawla.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 November 2004 |title=Kalpana Chawla – STS-107 Crew Memorial |last=Dismukes |first=Kim |date=7 May 2009 |publisher=[[NASA]] |access-date=22 January 2019}}</ref>
'''Kalpana Chawla''' (July 1, 1961 – February 1, 2003) was an [[Indian-American]] astronaut who, was a mission specialist on the [[space shuttle]] ''Columbia''. She first flew on the Columbia in 1997 as a mission specialist and primary robotic arm operator. Chawla was one of seven crew members killed in the [[Space Shuttle Columbia disaster]].<ref>{{citeweb |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28436243/ns/technology_and_science-space/t/nasa-reports-new-details-columbia-deaths/|title= Kalpana Chawla|accessdate=2012-05-24}}</ref>
|module = {{Infobox scientist
|embed = yes
|field = [[Aerospace engineering]]
|thesis_title = Computation of Dynamics and Control of Unsteady Vortical Flows
'''Kalpana Chawla''' (17 March 1962 – 1 February 2003)<ref>{{cite web |date=16 November 2020 |title=Kalpana Chawla Birth Anniversary: Here are lesser-known facts about the first woman of Indian origin to fly to space |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/more-lifestyle/kalpana-chawla-birth-anniversary-here-are-lesser-known-facts-about-the-first-woman-of-indian-origin-to-fly-to-space/story-s4Tvj78xVDw1jUUx69XywI.html |access-date=30 July 2020 |work=[[Hindustan Times]]|language=en}}</ref> was an Indian-born American astronaut and [[aerospace engineer]] who was the first woman of Indian origin to fly to space.<ref>{{cite news |author=Rizvi |first=Salim |date=11 December 2006 |title=Indo-US astronaut follows Kalpana's footsteps |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6169111.stm |access-date=20 November 2012 |work=BBC News |publisher=[[BBC]] |location=New York |quote=Almost four years after the death of the first American astronaut Kalpana Chawla in the Columbia space shuttle disaster, Nasa has sent another woman of Indian origin into space.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Redd |first=Nola Taylor |title=Kalpana Chawla: Biography & Columbia Disaster |url=http://www.space.com/17056-kalpana-chawla-biography.html |access-date=20 November 2012 |newspaper=[[Space.com]] |publisher=Tech Media Network}}</ref> She first flew on [[Space Shuttle Columbia|Space Shuttle ''Columbia'']] in 1997 as a mission specialist and primary [[robotic arm]] operator aboard [[STS-87]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-11 |title=Dr. Kalpana Chawla, astronaut and aerospace engineer, was the first Indian woman in space |url=https://awis.org/historical-women/dr-kalpana-chawla/ |access-date=2023-01-21 |website=AWIS |language=en-US}}</ref> Chawla's second flight was in 2003 on [[STS-107]], the final flight of ''Columbia''. She was one of the seven crew members who died in the [[Space Shuttle Columbia disaster|Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' disaster]] when the spacecraft disintegrated during its re-entry into the [[Earth]]'s [[atmosphere]] on 1 February 2003.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna28436243|title= Kalpana Chawla|website= [[NBC News]]|date= 30 December 2008|access-date=24 May 2012}}</ref>
Chawla was posthumously awarded the [[Congressional Space Medal of Honor]],<ref name="NASAbio">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/chawla_kalpana.pdf|title=Astronaut Bio: Kalpana Chawla |date=May 2004 |publisher=[[NASA]]|access-date=11 January 2021}}</ref> and several streets, universities, and institutions are named in her honor.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
==Early life==
Kalpana Chawla was born to a [[Hindu]] family in [[Karnal]], [[Haryana]], [[India]] on 1st july , 1961 to Banarasi Lal Chawla and Sanjyothi. She had 2 sisters, Sunita and Deepa, and a brother, Sanjay. She became a US citizen in 1990. She was the youngest of four siblings in the family.
== Early life and education ==
==Education==
Kalpana Chawla was born on 17 March 1962 in a [[Punjabi Hindus|Punjabi Hindu]] family in [[Karnal]], [[Haryana]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=India's ever-shining star: Today marks 20 years of Kalpana Chawla's last trip to space |work=[[The Times of India]] |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/spotlight/indias-ever-shining-star-today-marks-20-years-of-kalpana-chawlas-last-trip-to-space/articleshow/97556279.cms}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Harrison |first=Jean-Pierre |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/885972649 |title=The edge of time : the authoritative biography of Kalpana Chawla |publisher=Harrison Publishing |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-9768279-0-0 |location=Los Gatos, California |oclc=885972649}}</ref> The youngest of four children, she was born into a conservative society, but Chawla broke several traditions to become the first Indian-born female [[astronaut]]. She completed her schooling at Tagore Baal Niketan Senior Secondary School, Karnal. Growing up, Chawla went to local flying clubs and watched planes with her father.<ref name="Chawla, Kalpana">{{Cite book|title=Chawla, Kalpana
Kalpana Chawla completed her earlier schooling at Tagore Public School, [[Karnal]] and her [[Bachelor of Engineering]] degree in [[Aeronautical Engineering]] at [[Punjab Engineering College]] at [[Chandigarh]] in 1982. She moved to the [[United States]] in 1982 and obtained a M.S. degree in aerospace engineering from the [[University of Texas at Arlington]] in 1984. Chawla went on to earn a second M.S. degree in 1986 and a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering in 1988 from the [[University of Colorado at Boulder]]. Later that year she began working at the NASA [[Ames Research Center]] as vice president of Overset Methods, Inc. where she did [[Computational fluid dynamics|CFD]] research on Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing concepts. Chawla held a Certificated Flight Instructor rating for airplanes, gliders and Commercial Pilot licenses for single and multi-engine airplanes, seaplanes and gliders.
|date=April 2008|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|series=American National Biography Online|doi = 10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.6028448}}</ref> After graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Aeronautical Engineering from [[Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh|Punjab Engineering College]], India, Chawla moved to the United States in 1982. In 1984, she graduated with a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the [[University of Texas at Arlington]],<ref>{{Citation | last = Chawla | first = Kalpana | title = MS Thesis Optimization of cross flow fan housing for airplane wing installation | publisher = [[University of Texas at Arlington]] |page=97 | date = 1984 }}</ref> and went on to earn a second Master's in 1986 and a [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]]<ref>{{Citation|last=Chawla |first=Kalpana |title=PhD Thesis Computation of dynamics and control of unsteady vortical flows |publisher=[[University of Colorado Boulder]] |page=147 |year=1988}}</ref> in [[aerospace engineering]] in 1988 from the [[University of Colorado Boulder]].<ref name="Space.com">{{Cite web |last=Tillman |first=Nola Taylor |last2=Harvey |first2=Ailsa |date=20 December 2017 |title=Kalpana Chawla: Biography & Columbia Disaster |url=https://www.space.com/17056-kalpana-chawla-biography.html |access-date= |website=[[Space.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Who Was Kalpana Chawala: Early Life, Education, NASA Career, Death And Legacy |url=https://www.hercircle.in/engage/get-inspired/achievers/who-was-kalpana-chawala-early-life-education-nasa-career-death-and-legacy-2116.html |access-date=2023-01-21 |website=www.hercircle.in}}</ref>
==NASAcareer==
== Career ==
In 1988, Chawla joined NASA's [[Ames Research Center]], where she initially conducted [[computational fluid dynamics]] research on [[V/STOL|vertical and/or short take-off and landing]] (V/STOL) concepts. Much of Chawla's research is included in technical journals and conference papers. In 1993, she joined Overset Methods, Inc. as vice president and research scientist, specializing in simulation of moving multiple body problems. Chawla held an [[FAA]] [[Flight instructor|Flight Instructor]] certificate with airplane and glider ratings, and a [[Commercial pilot licence|commercial pilot license]] with single and multi-engine airplane, seaplane, and glider ratings. After she became a naturalized U.S. citizen in April 1991, Chawla applied for the [[NASA Astronaut Corps]].<ref name=bioreview>{{cite magazine|title=Book Review: Biography of Kalpana Chawla |author=Basu, Biman |url=http://www.niscair.res.in/jinfo/sr/2012/SR%2049%285%29%20%28Book%20Review%29.pdf |magazine=[[Science Reporter (magazine)|Science Reporter]] |pages=40–41 |date=May 2012 |access-date=6 July 2013 |quote=Born on 17 March 1962 in Karnal, Haryana}}</ref> She joined the corps in March 1995 and was selected for her first flight in 1997.
Kalpana Chawla joined the [[NASA]] 'Astronaut Corps' in March 1995 and was selected for her first flight in 1996. She spoke the following words while traveling in the weightlessness of space, "You are just your intelligence". She had traveled 10.4 million km, as many as 252 times around the Earth.
===First space mission===
Her first space mission began on November 19, 1997 as part of the six-astronaut crew that flew the [[Space Shuttle Columbia]] flight [[STS-87]]. Chawla was the first Indian-born woman and the second Indian person to fly in space, following cosmonaut [[Rakesh Sharma]] who flew in 1984 in a spacecraft. On her first mission Chawla traveled over 10.4 million miles in 252 orbits of the earth, logging more than 372 hours in space. During STS-87, she was responsible for deploying the [[Spartan Satellite]] which malfunctioned, necessitating a spacewalk by [[Winston Scott]] and [[Takao Doi]] to capture the satellite. A five-month NASA investigation fully exonerated Chawla by identifying errors in software interfaces and the defined procedures of flight crew and ground control.
Chawla's first space mission began on 19 November 1997, as part of the six-astronaut crew that flew the [[Space Shuttle Columbia|Space Shuttle ''Columbia'']] flight [[STS-87]]. Chawla was the first Indian woman to go in space. She spoke the following words while traveling in the weightlessness of space: "You are just your intelligence." On her first mission, Chawla travelled 10.4 million miles in 252 orbits of the Earth, logging more than 376 hours (15 days and 16 hours) in space.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kalpana Chawla biography* |url=https://www.kcgmc.edu.in/KCGMCHome/about_kalpana_chawla |access-date=January 1, 2022 |website=www.kcgmc.edu.in}}</ref><ref name="NASAbio" /> During STS-87, she was responsible for deploying the Spartan Satellite, which malfunctioned, necessitating a spacewalk by [[Winston Scott]] and [[Takao Doi]] to capture the satellite. A five-month NASA investigation exonerated<ref>{{cite web |title=Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College & Hospital - [KCGMC], Karnal |url=https://www.kcgmc.edu.in/KCGMCHome/about_kalpana_chawla#:~:text=During%20STS87%2C%20she%20was%20responsible%20for%20deploying%20the,defined%20procedures%20of%20flight%20crew%20and%20ground%20control. |website=KGGMC}}</ref> Chawla by identifying errors in software interfaces<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=1998-04-29 |title=Columbia crew is blamed for Spartan deployment failure |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/columbia-crew-is-blamed-for-spartan-deployment-failure/20850.article |access-date=2023-01-06 |website=Flight Global}}</ref> and the defined procedures of the flight crew and ground control. After the completion of [[STS-87]] post-flight activities, Chawla was assigned to technical positions in the astronaut office to work on the space station.
=== Second space mission and death ===
After the completion of [[STS-87]] post-flight activities, Chawla was assigned to technical positions in the astronaut office to work on the space station, her performance in which was recognized with a special award from her peers.
{{Main|STS-107|Space Shuttle Columbia disaster}}
[[File:Crew of STS-107, official photo.jpg|thumb|The crew of [[STS-107]] in October 2001. From left to right: [[David M. Brown|Brown]], [[Rick Husband|Husband]], [[Laurel Clark|Clark]], Chawla, [[Michael P. Anderson|Anderson]], [[William C. McCool|McCool]], [[Ilan Ramon|Ramon]]]]
In 2000, Chawla was selected for her second flight as part of the crew of [[STS-107]]. This mission was repeatedly delayed due to scheduling conflicts and technical problems, such as the July 2002 discovery of cracks in the shuttle engine flow liners. On 16 January 2003, Chawla finally returned to space aboard [[Space Shuttle Columbia|Space Shuttle ''Columbia'']] on the [[Space Shuttle Columbia disaster|ill-fated STS-107 mission]]. The crew performed nearly 80 experiments studying Earth and [[space science]], advanced technology development, and astronaut health and safety.
During the launch of [[STS-107]], ''Columbia''{{'}}s 28th mission, a piece of foam insulation broke off from the [[Space Shuttle external tank|Space Shuttle's external tank]] and struck the [[Port and starboard|port]] wing of the [[Space Shuttle orbiter|orbiter]]. Previous shuttle launches had seen minor damage from foam shedding,<ref name="foam strikes">{{cite web |publisher=[[Columbia Accident Investigation Board]] |title=6.1 A History of Foam Anomalies (page 121)|date=August 2003 |url=http://s3.amazonaws.com/akamai.netstorage/anon.nasa-global/CAIB/CAIB_lowres_chapter6.pdf |access-date=26 June 2014}}</ref> but some engineers suspected that the damage to ''Columbia'' was more serious. [[NASA]] managers limited the investigation, reasoning that the crew could not have fixed the problem if it had been confirmed.<ref>{{cite web |author=Dunn |first=Marcia |date=2 February 2003 |title=Columbia's problems began on left wing |url=http://staugustine.com/stories/020203/new_1299125.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102193557/http://staugustine.com/stories/020203/new_1299125.shtml |archive-date=2 November 2013 |access-date=19 April 2016 |website=staugustine.com |publisher=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>
[[Image:Chawla.jpg|thumb|Chawla in the space shuttle simulator]]
When ''Columbia'' [[Atmospheric entry|re-entered]] the [[atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]] on 1 February 2003, the damage allowed hot atmospheric gases to penetrate and destroy the internal wing structure, which caused the spacecraft to become unstable and break apart over [[Texas]].<ref name="USATODAY">{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-03-04-shuttle-investigation_x.htm|agency=[[Associated Press]]|title=Molten Aluminum found on Columbia's thermal tiles|access-date=13 August 2007 | work=[[USA Today]] | date=4 March 2003}}</ref> Chawla died along with the six other crew members.<ref>{{cite web |last= |first= |date=2003-02-01 |title=Space Shuttle Explodes, Kalpana Chawla dead |url=http://www.rediff.com/us/2003/feb/01kalp.htm |website=[[Rediff.com]]}}</ref> After the disaster, Space Shuttle flight operations were suspended for more than two years, similar to the aftermath of the [[Space Shuttle Challenger disaster|''Challenger'' disaster]]. Construction of the [[International Space Station]] (ISS) was put on hold; the station relied entirely on the Russian [[Roscosmos State Corporation]] for resupply for 29 months until Shuttle flights resumed with [[STS-114]], and 45 months for crew rotation.
In 2000 she was selected for her second flight as part of the crew of [[STS-107]]. This mission was repeatedly delayed due to scheduling conflicts and technical problems such as the July 2002 discovery of cracks in the shuttle engine flow liners. On January 16, 2003, Chawla finally returned to space aboard ''Columbia'' on the [[Space Shuttle Columbia disaster|ill-fated STS-107 mission]]. Chawla's responsibilities included the [[microgravity]] experiments, for which the crew conducted nearly 80 experiments studying earth and space science, advanced technology development, and astronaut health and safety.
Chawla's remains were identified along with those of the rest of the crew members and were cremated and scattered at [[Zion National Park]] in [[Utah]], one of her favorite places.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Leinbach |first1=Michael D. |author-link=Michael D. Leinbach |title=Bringing Columbia home: the untold story of a lost space shuttle and her crew |last2=Ward |first2=Jonathan H. |date=23 January 2018 |publisher=[[Arcade Publishing]] |isbn=978-1-62872-852-1 |location=[[New York City|New York]] |chapter=Chapter 12: Healing and Closure |quote=A few days later a memorial service was held for Kalpana Chawla at Zion National Monument in Utah, one of her favorite places}}</ref>
==Death==
Chawla died in the [[Space Shuttle Columbia disaster]] which occurred on February 1, 2003, when the [[Space Shuttle Columbia|Space Shuttle]] disintegrated over [[Texas]] during [[re-entry]] into the [[Earth's atmosphere]], with the loss of all seven crew members, shortly before it was scheduled to conclude its 28th mission, [[STS-107]].
== Honours and recognition ==
==Awards==
* The [[Cygnus NG-14|fourteenth contracted Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft]] mission delivering supplies to the ISS was named the S.S. ''Kalpana Chawla'' after her.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.americaspace.com/2020/09/09/next-cygnus-cargo-ship-named-for-columbia-astronaut-kalpana-chawla/|title=Next Cygnus Cargo Ship Named for Columbia Astronaut Kalpana Chawla|date=9 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=US spacecraft named after late Indian-American astronaut Kalpana Chawla|url=https://www.theindianhawk.com/2020/09/us-spacecraft-named-after-fallen-astronaut-kalpana-chawla.html|access-date=11 September 2020|website=The Indian Hawk: Latest Indian Defence News, World Defence, IDRW, Indian Army, Air Force, Navy|date=10 September 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Laxman|first=Srinivas|title=US mission named after Kalpana Chawla|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/us-mission-named-after-kalpana-chawla/articleshow/78468744.cms|access-date=17 August 2022|website=The Times of India|date=4 October 2020}}</ref>
Posthumously awarded:
* [[Asteroid]] [[51826 Kalpanachawla|51826 Kalpana Chawla]], one of seven named after the ''[[Space Shuttle Columbia|Columbia]]''{{'}}s crew<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/releases/2003/columbia-tribute.cfm | title=Tribute to the Crew of Columbia | publisher=[[NASA]] [[JPL]] | access-date=10 June 2007 | archive-date=8 February 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080208162807/http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/releases/2003/columbia-tribute.cfm | url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Congressional Space Medal of Honor]]
* The lunar crater Chawla is named after Kalpana Chawla.<ref>{{cite web | title=Lunar crater Chawla | url=https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14139;jsessionid=24CD947A3489F6EF60C42E85455DFF6F?__fsk=-1203838122 | publisher = [[IAU]] | access-date=16 June 2021}}</ref>
* [[NASA Space Flight Medal]]
* On 5 February 2003, the [[Prime Minister of India]] at the time, [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]], announced that a meteorological series of satellites, MetSat, was to be renamed "[[Kalpana-1|Kalpana 1]]". The first satellite of the series, "MetSat-1", launched by India on 12 September 2002, was renamed "[[Kalpana-1]]".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=732 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912095837/http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=732 | url-status=dead | archive-date=12 September 2012 | title=ISRO METSAT Satellite Series Named After Columbia Astronaut Kalpana Chawla | date=6 February 2003 | publisher=Spaceref.com | access-date=10 June 2007 }}</ref>
* [[NASA Distinguished Service Medal]]
* 74th Street in the [[Little India (location)|Little India]] of [[Jackson Heights, Queens|Jackson Heights]], [[Queens]], [[New York City]], New York, United States, has been renamed "Kalpana Chawla Way" in her honor.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|last=Rajghatta|first=Chidanand|title=NY has Kalpana Chawla Way|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/NY-has-Kalpana-Chawla-Way/articleshow/775327.cms|access-date=27 February 2014|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=12 July 2004}}</ref>
* In honor of her, a street was named Kalpana Chawla Street in Rayon Nagar in Sirumugai, a village in [[Coimbatore]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India.
== Memorials ==
* The Kalpana Chawla Award was instituted by the [[Government of Karnataka]] in 2004 to recognize young women scientists.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/03/23/stories/2004032310280500.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040713044512/http://www.hindu.com/2004/03/23/stories/2004032310280500.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=13 July 2004 | title = Kalpana Chawla Award instituted | access-date=10 June 2007 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | date=23 March 2004}}</ref>
* ''Kalpana Chawla ISU Scholarship'' fund founded by alumni of the International Space University ([[International Space University|ISU]]) in 2010 to support Indian student participation in international space education programs. [http://www.kcscholarship.org Kalpana Chawla International Space University Scholarship]
* [[NASA]] has dedicated a supercomputer to Chawla.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://space.about.com/cs/nasanews/a/chawlacomputer.htm | title = NASA Names Supercomputer After Columbia Astronaut | publisher = [[About.com]] | access-date = 10 June 2007 | archive-date = 30 December 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071230123701/http://space.about.com/cs/nasanews/a/chawlacomputer.htm | url-status = dead }}</ref>
* ''Kalpana Chawla Memorial Scholarship'' program was instituted by Indian students association (ISA) at the [[University of Texas at El Paso]] (UTEP) in 2005 for meritorious graduate students.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://academics.utep.edu/Default.aspx?tabid=45209 | title = Kalpana Chawla Memorial Scholarship | publisher = [[UTEP]]| accessdate=2008-06-10}}</ref>
* One of [[Florida Institute of Technology]]'s student apartment complexes, Columbia Village Suites, has halls named after each of the astronauts, including Chawla.
* The Kalpana Chawla Outstanding Recent Alumni Award at the [[University of Colorado]], given since 1983, was renamed for Kalpana Chawla.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.cualum.org/awards/chawla-award-winners | title = Kalpana Chawla Award | publisher = [[University of Colorado]]| accessdate=2012-02-12}}</ref>
* The NASA [[Mars Exploration Rover]] mission has named seven peaks in a chain of hills, named the [[Columbia Hills (Mars)|Columbia Hills]], after each of the seven astronauts lost in the Columbia shuttle disaster. One of them is Chawla Hill, named after Chawla.
* At least 30,000 schoolchildren and citizens joined hands to make a 36.4-km-long human chain to support the demand for a Kalpana Chawla medical college in the city which was announced by then Health Minister of India Dr. C. P. Thakur and later on promised by Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh. Kalpana Chawla Medical College Nirman Committee backed by volunteers and activists of various organizations, supported by students from 34 schools, swarmed the roads and formed a chain along the roads in Karnal to demonstrate that they continued to revere Kalpana Chawla as an outstanding astronaut.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091106/haryana.htm#3 |title=www.tribuneindia.com |publisher=www.tribuneindia.com |date= |accessdate=2010-12-10}}</ref>
* [[Steve Morse]] from the band [[Deep Purple]] created the song "Contact Lost" in memory of the Columbia tragedy. Chawla knew Morse and took the band's ''[[Machine Head (album)|Machine Head]]'', featuring the song "Space Truckin'" with her on the mission. Morse's tribute song can be found on the album ''[[Bananas (Deep Purple album)|Bananas]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hobbyspace.com/Music/music1.html |title=Space Music – Rock/Pop |publisher=HobbySpace |date=31 August 2005 |access-date=10 December 2010}}</ref>
* Haryana Government accepted the long pending demand of people of [[Karnal]] and now work to establish Kalapana Chawla Medical College in Karnal is in its first phase.
*[[Asteroid]] ''[[51826 Kalpanachawla]]'', one of seven named after the [[Space Shuttle Columbia|Columbia]]'s crew.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/releases/2003/columbia-tribute.cfm | title=Tribute to the Crew of Columbia | publisher = [[NASA]] [[JPL]] | accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref>
* On February 5, 2003, India's Prime Minister announced that the meteorological series of satellites, "[[METSAT]]", will be renamed as "[[KALPANA]]". The first satellite of the series, "[[METSAT-1]]", launched by India on September 12, 2002 will be now known as "[[KALPANA-1]]". "[[KALPANA-2]]" is expected to be launched by 2007.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=732 |title=ISRO METSAT Satellite Series Named After Columbia Astronaut Kalpana Chawla | publisher=Spaceref.com | accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref>
* 74th Street in [[Jackson Heights, Queens|Jackson Heights]], [[Queens]], [[New York, New York|New York City]] has been renamed ''74th Street Kalpana Chawla Way'' in her honor.
* The [[University of Texas at Arlington]] (where Chawla obtained a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering in 1984) opened a [[dormitory]] named in her honor, ''Kalpana Chawla Hall'', in 2004.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://policy.uta.edu/index.php?navid=15956&view=16896&resid=15866 | title=More about Kalpana Chawla Hall | publisher = [[University of Texas at Arlington]] | accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref>
* ''Kalpana Chawla Award'' was instituted by the government of [[Karnataka]] in 2004 for young women scientists<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/03/23/stories/2004032310280500.htm | title = Kalpana Chawla Award instituted | publisher = [[The Hindu]]| accessdate=2007-06-10 | location=Chennai, India | date=2004-03-23}}</ref>
* The girls hostel at [[Punjab Engineering College]], is named after Kalpana Chawla. In addition, an award of [[Indian rupee|INR]] twenty-five thousand, a medal, and a certificate is instituted for the best student in Aeronautical engineering department<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=18844 | title = Punjab Engineering College remembers Kalpana | publisher=[[Indian Express]]|accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref>
* NASA has dedicated a super computer to Kalpana.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://space.about.com/cs/nasanews/a/chawlacomputer.htm | title=NASA Names Supercomputer After Columbia Astronaut | publisher= [[About.com]] | accessdate=2007-06-10}}</ref>
* One of [[Florida Institute of Technology]]'s student apartment complexes, Columbia Village Suites, has halls named after each of the astronauts, including Chawla and others
* NASA Mars Exploration Rover mission has named seven peaks in a chain of hills, named the [[Columbia Hills (Mars)|Columbia Hills]], after each of the seven astronauts lost in the Columbia shuttle disaster, including Chawla Hill after Kalpana Chawla.
* [[Steve Morse]] from the band [[Deep Purple]] created a song called "Contact Lost" in memory of the Columbia tragedy along with her interest in the band. The song can be found on the album ''[[Bananas (album)|Bananas]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hobbyspace.com/Music/music1.html |title=Space Music - Rock/Pop |publisher=HobbySpace |date=2005-08-31 |accessdate=2010-12-10}}</ref>
* Her brother, Sanjay Chawla, remarked "To me, my sister is not dead. She is immortal. Isn't that what a star is? She is a permanent star in the sky. She will always be up there where she belongs."<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.indianembassy.org/US_Media/2003/feb/Los%20Angeles%20Times%20A%20Muse%20for%20Indian%20Women.htm | title= 'COLUMBIA IS LOST' A Muse for Indian Women | publisher= LA Times (reprint on IndianEmbassy.org)| accessdate=2007-06-02}}</ref> [[File:Kalpana Chawla Space Technology Cell, IIT Kharagpur.jpg|right|160px||thumb|Kalpana Chawla Space Technology Cell, at [[IIT Kharagpur]].]]
* Novelist [[Peter David]] named a [[Shuttlecraft (Star Trek)|shuttlecraft]], the ''Chawla'', after the astronaut in his 2007 ''[[Star Trek]]'' novel, ''Star Trek: The Next Generation: Before Dishonor''.<ref>David, Peter; ''Star Trek: Next Generation: Before Dishonor''; Page 24.</ref>
* Novelist [[Peter David]] named a [[Shuttlecraft (Star Trek)|shuttlecraft]], the ''Chawla'', after the astronaut in his 2007 ''[[Star Trek]]'' novel, ''Star Trek: The Next Generation: Before Dishonor''.<ref>David, Peter; ''Star Trek: Next Generation: Before Dishonor''; Page 24.</ref>
* The Kalpana Chawla ISU Scholarship fund was founded by alumni of the [[International Space University]] (ISU) in 2010 to support Indian women's participation in international space education programs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kalpana Chawla International Space University Scholarship |url=http://www.kcscholarship.org/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110301005248/http://www.kcscholarship.org/ |archive-date=1 March 2011}}</ref>
* Government of [[Haryana]] has made a Planetarium after her name called as Kalpana Chawla Planetarium in [[Jyotisar]], [[Kurukshetra]]<ref>{{cite web|author=<!--Updated 1136 hrs 3rd Feb,2010(+5:30 GMT)--> |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/planetarium-in-kalpana-chawlas-memory/36993-11.html |title=IBN News |publisher=Ibnlive.in.com |date=2010-02-03 |accessdate=2010-12-10}}</ref>
* The Kalpana Chawla Memorial Scholarship program was instituted by the Indian Students Association (ISA) at the [[University of Texas at El Paso]] (UTEP) in 2005 for meritorious graduate students.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://academics.utep.edu/Default.aspx?tabid=45209 | title=Kalpana Chawla Memorial Scholarship | publisher=[[UTEP]] | access-date=10 June 2008 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002025936/http://academics.utep.edu/Default.aspx?tabid=45209 | archive-date=2 October 2011 | df=mdy-all }}</ref>
* [[Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur]] started the Kalpana Chawla Space Technology Cell in her honor.<ref>{{cite web|last=Saxena |first=Ambuj |url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/ambuj/421069342/ |title=Kalpana Chawla Space Technology Cell | Flickr - Photo Sharing! |publisher=Flickr |date= |accessdate=2010-12-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kcstc.iitkgp.ernet.in/ |title=Space Technology Cell |publisher=Kcstc.iitkgp.ernet.in |date= |accessdate=2010-12-10}}</ref>
* The Kalpana Chawla Outstanding Recent Alumni Award at the [[University of Colorado]], given since 1983, was renamed after Chawla.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.cualum.org/awards/chawla-award-winners | title=Kalpana Chawla Award | publisher=[[University of Colorado]] | access-date=12 February 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309065132/https://www.cualum.org/awards/chawla-award-winners/ | archive-date=9 March 2012 | df=mdy-all }}</ref>
* Military housing development at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland has been named Columbia Colony. There is also a street named Chawla Way.
* The [[University of Texas at Arlington]], where Chawla obtained a Master of Science degree in aerospace engineering in 1984, opened a [[dormitory]] named Kalpana Chawla Hall in 2004.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.uta.edu/housing/housing/residence-halls/kc-hall.php | title=Kalpana Chawla Hall | publisher = [[University of Texas at Arlington]] | access-date=16 May 2013}}</ref>[[File:Kalpana Chawla Hall Univ Texas Arlington.JPG|thumb|Kalpana Chawla Hall, [[University of Texas Arlington]]]] In addition, the university dedicated the Kalpana Chawla Memorial on 3 May 2010, in [[Nedderman Hall]], one of the primary buildings in the [[University of Texas at Arlington College of Engineering|College of Engineering]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.uta.edu/news/releases/2010/05/kalpana-chawla-display.php | title = Kalpana Chawla Display Dedicated at Nedderman Hall | publisher = The [[University of Texas at Arlington]] | access-date = 16 May 2013 | archive-date = 29 September 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170929044156/http://www.uta.edu/news/releases/2010/05/kalpana-chawla-display.php | url-status = dead }}</ref>
* The girls' hostel (what a university dormitory is called in India) at [[Punjab Engineering College]] is named after Chawla. In addition, an award of [[Indian rupee|INR]] twenty-five thousand, a medal, and a certificate is instituted for the best student in the Aeronautical Engineering department.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=18844 | title = Punjab Engineering College remembers Kalpana | work = [[The Indian Express]] | access-date = 10 June 2007 | url-status=dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060827232518/http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=18844 | archive-date = 27 August 2006 | df = mdy-all }}</ref>
* The Government of [[Haryana]] established the [[List of planetariums#India|Kalpana Chawla Planetarium]] in [[Jyotisar]], [[Kurukshetra]].<ref name=":2">{{cite web|author=<!--Updated 1136 hrs 3 February 2010(+)--> |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/planetarium-in-kalpana-chawlas-memory/36993-11.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090927102422/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/planetarium-in-kalpana-chawlas-memory/36993-11.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 September 2009 |title=IBN News |publisher=Ibnlive.in.com |date=3 February 2010 |access-date=10 December 2010}}</ref>
* The [[Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur]], named the Kalpana Chawla Space Technology Cell in her honor.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |last=Saxena |first=Ambuj |date=14 March 2007 |title=Kalpana Chawla Space Technology Cell |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ambuj/421069342/ |access-date=10 December 2010 |publisher=[[Flickr]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kcstc.iitkgp.ernet.in/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071230094113/http://www.kcstc.iitkgp.ernet.in/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 December 2007 |title=Space Technology Cell |publisher=Kcstc.iitkgp.ernet.in |access-date=10 December 2010 }}</ref>
* [[Delhi Technological University]] named a girls' hostel block after Chawla.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hostels.dtu.ac.in/girls-hostels/kalpana-chawla-hostel/|title=Delhi University|access-date=30 December 2014|archive-date=31 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331063912/http://hostels.dtu.ac.in/girls-hostels/kalpana-chawla-hostel/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* A military housing development at [[Naval Air Station Patuxent River]], Maryland, has been named Columbia Colony and includes a street named Chawla Way.
* A hostel block in [[Pondicherry University]] has been named after Chawla.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pondiuni.edu.in/content/hostels-dining|title=Pondicherry University}}</ref>
* [[Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College]] (KCGMC) is a [[Medical college]] located in [[Karnal]], [[Haryana]], India named after Chawla. Kalpana was born in Karnal.
* The [[National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra]] named a girls' [[hostel]] after Chawla.
* The [[National Institute of Technology, Bhopal]] named a girls' hostel Kalpana Chawla Bhawan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.manit.ac.in/content/hostel-no-7-kalpana-chawla-bhawan|title=Hostel No 7 (Kalpana Chawla Bhawan) | Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology ,Government of India|website=www.manit.ac.in}}</ref>
* On 1 April 2022, a satellite named after Chawla ([[ÑuSat|ÑuSat 24]] or "Kalpana", COSPAR 2022-033X) was launched into space as part of the [[Satellogic]] Aleph-1 constellation.
==Seealso==
== Personal life ==
[[File:Kalpana Chawla and husband.jpg|thumb|Chawla and her husband before the launch of STS-87]]
On 2 December 1983, at the age of 21, Chawla married Jean-Pierre Harrison.<ref name="Space.com" /> After the [[Space Shuttle Columbia disaster|''Columbia'' disaster]], Harrison was approached by [[Filmmaking|filmmakers]] to make a movie on Chawla's life, but he refused because he preferred to keep their life private.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dhar |first1=Abira |date=27 April 2017 |title=Exclusive: Kalpana Chawla's Husband Denies Rights to Make Biopic |url=https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/bollywood/husband-of-astronaut-kalpana-chawla-on-biopic |access-date=8 June 2021 |work=[[The Quint]]}}</ref>
* [[Kalpana-1]]
* [[Space science]]
* ''[[Swades]]'' - Bollywood movie featuring the space shuttle, filmed on location at KSC in 2004.
* [[Rakesh Sharma]] - first Indian in space.
{{-}}
== In popular culture ==
==References==
''Mega Icons'' (2018–2020), an Indian [[Television documentary|documentary television series]] on [[National Geographic (Indian TV channel)|National Geographic]] about prominent Indian personalities, dedicated an episode to Chawla's achievements.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mega Icons Season 2 Episode 4|url=https://www.hotstar.com/in/tv/mega-icons/1260000382/kalpana-chawla/1260041496|access-date=12 June 2021|website=[[Disney+ Hotstar]]|language=en}}</ref> In the 2023 movie "A Million Miles Away", about Mexican farmworker turned astronaut Jose Hernandez, Kalpana Chawla is played by actress [[Sarayu Rao|Sarayu Blue]].
{{reflist|2}}
==Furtherreading==
== See also ==
{{portal|Biography|Outer space}}
{{wikiquote}}
* {{Section link|List of Asian Americans|Space}}
*''Among The Stars-Life and Dreams of Kalpana Chawla'' by Gurdeep Pandher
* [[List of women astronauts|List of female astronauts]]
*''India's 50 Most Illustrious Women'' (ISBN 81-88086-19-3) by Indra Gupta
{{Clear}}
*''Kalpana Chawla, a life'' (ISBN 0-14-333586-3) by Anil Padmanabhan
*''The Edge of Time: The Authoritative Biography of Kalpana Chawla'' by Jean-Pierre Harrison
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== Further reading ==
* ''Among the Stars!: Life and Dreams of Kalpana Chawla'' by Gurdeep Pandher
* ''India's 50 Most Illustrious Women'' ({{ISBN|81-88086-19-3}}) by Indra Gupta
* ''Kalpana Chawla: A Life'' ({{ISBN|0-14-333586-3}}) by Anil Padmanabhan
* ''The Edge of Time: The Authoritative Biography of Kalpana Chawla'' ({{ISBN|978-0976827917}}) by Jean-Pierre Harrison
== External links ==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Commons category}}
* {{cite web|url=https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Biographies/ASTRON%7E1.HTM |title=Astronaut Bio: Kalpana Chawla|work=[[NASA]]|date=February 2003|access-date=7 May 2019}}
Kalpana Chawla (17 March 1962 – 1 February 2003)[2] was an Indian-born American astronaut and aerospace engineer who was the first woman of Indian origin to fly to space.[3][4] She first flew on Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997 as a mission specialist and primary robotic arm operator aboard STS-87.[5] Chawla's second flight was in 2003 on STS-107, the final flight of Columbia. She was one of the seven crew members who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster when the spacecraft disintegrated during its re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere on 1 February 2003.[6]
Kalpana Chawla was born on 17 March 1962 in a Punjabi Hindu family in Karnal, Haryana.[11][12] The youngest of four children, she was born into a conservative society, but Chawla broke several traditions to become the first Indian-born female astronaut. She completed her schooling at Tagore Baal Niketan Senior Secondary School, Karnal. Growing up, Chawla went to local flying clubs and watched planes with her father.[13] After graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College, India, Chawla moved to the United States in 1982. In 1984, she graduated with a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington,[14] and went on to earn a second Master's in 1986 and a PhD[15] in aerospace engineering in 1988 from the University of Colorado Boulder.[16][17]
In 1988, Chawla joined NASA's Ames Research Center, where she initially conducted computational fluid dynamics research on vertical and/or short take-off and landing (V/STOL) concepts. Much of Chawla's research is included in technical journals and conference papers. In 1993, she joined Overset Methods, Inc. as vice president and research scientist, specializing in simulation of moving multiple body problems. Chawla held an FAAFlight Instructor certificate with airplane and glider ratings, and a commercial pilot license with single and multi-engine airplane, seaplane, and glider ratings. After she became a naturalized U.S. citizen in April 1991, Chawla applied for the NASA Astronaut Corps.[18] She joined the corps in March 1995 and was selected for her first flight in 1997.
Chawla's first space mission began on 19 November 1997, as part of the six-astronaut crew that flew the Space Shuttle Columbia flight STS-87. Chawla was the first Indian woman to go in space. She spoke the following words while traveling in the weightlessness of space: "You are just your intelligence." On her first mission, Chawla travelled 10.4 million miles in 252 orbits of the Earth, logging more than 376 hours (15 days and 16 hours) in space.[19][7] During STS-87, she was responsible for deploying the Spartan Satellite, which malfunctioned, necessitating a spacewalk by Winston Scott and Takao Doi to capture the satellite. A five-month NASA investigation exonerated[20] Chawla by identifying errors in software interfaces[21] and the defined procedures of the flight crew and ground control. After the completion of STS-87 post-flight activities, Chawla was assigned to technical positions in the astronaut office to work on the space station.
In 2000, Chawla was selected for her second flight as part of the crew of STS-107. This mission was repeatedly delayed due to scheduling conflicts and technical problems, such as the July 2002 discovery of cracks in the shuttle engine flow liners. On 16 January 2003, Chawla finally returned to space aboard Space Shuttle Columbia on the ill-fated STS-107 mission. The crew performed nearly 80 experiments studying Earth and space science, advanced technology development, and astronaut health and safety.
During the launch of STS-107, Columbia's 28th mission, a piece of foam insulation broke off from the Space Shuttle's external tank and struck the port wing of the orbiter. Previous shuttle launches had seen minor damage from foam shedding,[22] but some engineers suspected that the damage to Columbia was more serious. NASA managers limited the investigation, reasoning that the crew could not have fixed the problem if it had been confirmed.[23]
When Columbiare-entered the Earth's atmosphere on 1 February 2003, the damage allowed hot atmospheric gases to penetrate and destroy the internal wing structure, which caused the spacecraft to become unstable and break apart over Texas.[24] Chawla died along with the six other crew members.[25] After the disaster, Space Shuttle flight operations were suspended for more than two years, similar to the aftermath of the Challenger disaster. Construction of the International Space Station (ISS) was put on hold; the station relied entirely on the Russian Roscosmos State Corporation for resupply for 29 months until Shuttle flights resumed with STS-114, and 45 months for crew rotation.
Chawla's remains were identified along with those of the rest of the crew members and were cremated and scattered at Zion National Park in Utah, one of her favorite places.[26]
The lunar crater Chawla is named after Kalpana Chawla.[31]
On 5 February 2003, the Prime Minister of India at the time, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, announced that a meteorological series of satellites, MetSat, was to be renamed "Kalpana 1". The first satellite of the series, "MetSat-1", launched by India on 12 September 2002, was renamed "Kalpana-1".[32]
One of Florida Institute of Technology's student apartment complexes, Columbia Village Suites, has halls named after each of the astronauts, including Chawla.
The NASA Mars Exploration Rover mission has named seven peaks in a chain of hills, named the Columbia Hills, after each of the seven astronauts lost in the Columbia shuttle disaster. One of them is Chawla Hill, named after Chawla.
Steve Morse from the band Deep Purple created the song "Contact Lost" in memory of the Columbia tragedy. Chawla knew Morse and took the band's Machine Head, featuring the song "Space Truckin'" with her on the mission. Morse's tribute song can be found on the album Bananas.[35]
Novelist Peter David named a shuttlecraft, the Chawla, after the astronaut in his 2007 Star Trek novel, Star Trek: The Next Generation: Before Dishonor.[36]
The Kalpana Chawla ISU Scholarship fund was founded by alumni of the International Space University (ISU) in 2010 to support Indian women's participation in international space education programs.[37]
The Kalpana Chawla Memorial Scholarship program was instituted by the Indian Students Association (ISA) at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in 2005 for meritorious graduate students.[38]
The Kalpana Chawla Outstanding Recent Alumni Award at the University of Colorado, given since 1983, was renamed after Chawla.[39]
The girls' hostel (what a university dormitory is called in India) at Punjab Engineering College is named after Chawla. In addition, an award of INR twenty-five thousand, a medal, and a certificate is instituted for the best student in the Aeronautical Engineering department.[42]
On 1 April 2022, a satellite named after Chawla (ÑuSat 24 or "Kalpana", COSPAR 2022-033X) was launched into space as part of the Satellogic Aleph-1 constellation.
Chawla and her husband before the launch of STS-87
On 2 December 1983, at the age of 21, Chawla married Jean-Pierre Harrison.[16] After the Columbia disaster, Harrison was approached by filmmakers to make a movie on Chawla's life, but he refused because he preferred to keep their life private.[47]
Mega Icons (2018–2020), an Indian documentary television series on National Geographic about prominent Indian personalities, dedicated an episode to Chawla's achievements.[48] In the 2023 movie "A Million Miles Away", about Mexican farmworker turned astronaut Jose Hernandez, Kalpana Chawla is played by actress Sarayu Blue.
^Rizvi, Salim (11 December 2006). "Indo-US astronaut follows Kalpana's footsteps". BBC News. New York: BBC. Retrieved 20 November 2012. Almost four years after the death of the first American astronaut Kalpana Chawla in the Columbia space shuttle disaster, Nasa has sent another woman of Indian origin into space.
^Leinbach, Michael D.; Ward, Jonathan H. (23 January 2018). "Chapter 12: Healing and Closure". Bringing Columbia home: the untold story of a lost space shuttle and her crew. New York: Arcade Publishing. ISBN978-1-62872-852-1. A few days later a memorial service was held for Kalpana Chawla at Zion National Monument in Utah, one of her favorite places
