Kalpana Chawla

                                                        Kalpana Chawla

Kalpana Chawla (March 17, 1962 – February 1, 2003) was an American astronaut  and the first woman of Indian origin in space. She first flew onSpace Shuttle Columbia in 1997 as a mission specialist and primary robotic arm operator. In 2003, Chawla was one of the seven crew members who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster  when the craft disintegrated during its re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Chawla is a recipient of the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
Career
In 1988, she began working at NASA, where she did computational fluid dynamics (CFD) research on vertical and/or short take-off and landing (V/STOL)concepts. In 1993, she joined Overset Methods, Inc. as Vice President and Research Scientist specializing in simulation of moving multiple body problems.^[10] Chawla held a Certificated Flight Instructor rating for airplanes, gliders and Commercial Pilot licenses for single and multi-engine airplanes, seaplanes and gliders.^[11] After becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen in April 1991, Chawla applied for the NASA Astronaut Corps.^[12] She joined the corps in March 1995 and was selected for her first flight in 1996.
Death

Chawla died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster which occurred on February 1, 2003 when the Columbia disintegrated over Texas during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, with the death of all of seven crew members, shortly before it was scheduled to conclude its 28th mission, STS-107.^[16]

Chawla's remains were identified along with the rest of the crew members and were cremated and scattered at National Park in Utah in accordance with her wishes