Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian woman who went up to touch the skies

Her love for flying led to her career in Space.

Kalpana Chawla completed her early education in Punjab. AFP 

She became a naturalized US citizen in April 1991 and applied for the NASA Astronaut Corps. AFP

In 1997, she became the first Indian-born woman and the second Indian person to fly in space. AFP

In 2000, Kalpana was selected for her second flight as a part of the crew of STS-107. The mission got repeatedly delayed and was finally launched in 2003. AFP

On February 1, 2003, the space shuttle disintegrated over Texas while trying to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere. AFP

Over the course of the 16-day flight, the crew completed more than 80 experiments. AFP

Kalpana Chawla logged 30 days, 14 hours, and 54 minutes in space over the course of her two missions. AFP

She became a US citizen and got a PhD before trying to reach space. AFP

After her untimely demise, many honours were bestowed upon her. AFP

She served in various roles including as the Vice President of Overset Methods, Inc at NASA Research Centre before becoming an astronaut. AFP

She is the first and only Indian woman to go to space. AFP