An Indian – American Woman in Space: Kalpana Chawla Summary Class 6 Chapter Four
Kalpana Chawla was the first Indian American and the first India born woman in space. She was born and brought up in Karnal. Her parents allowed her only to attend an engineering collage after completing graduation from Tagore school. Despite her father’s opposition she completed her Bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering. She obtained her M.S.C degree in Aerospace engineering in 1984. Kalpana Chawla logged 15 days, 16 hours and 34 minutes in space over the course of one missions.
She married to flight instructor team-Pierre Harrison. She was a licensed pilot and a certified flights instructor. She appointed for NASA’s space shuttle program. After qualifying as a pilot and was hired as research scientist at NASA. Later in 1994 she was selected by NASA for training as an astronaut.
She flew on space shuttle, Columbia STS – 87 in 1997, which was her first space mission as a mission specialist and primary robotic arm operator. She went around the earth 252 times, travelling 10.45 million km.
The Japanese and Ukrainian astronauts and also crew members performed experiments as pollinating plants to observe food growth in space and lets for making stronger metals and faster computer chips.
The disastrous tragedy broke out on Saturday night about Columbia space shuttle. She was an inspiration for all young Indians. In her message she wrote to the students of her collage in Chandigarh “the path from dreams to success does find it, the courage to get into it – wishing you a great journey.”