Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian woman who went up to touch the skies
AFP
She became a naturalized US citizen in April 1991 and applied for the NASA Astronaut Corps. AFPIn 1997, she became the first Indian-born woman and the second Indian person to fly in space. AFPIn 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. AFPOn February 1, 2003, the space shuttle disintegrated over Texas while trying to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere. AFPOver the course of the 16-day flight, the crew completed more than 80 experiments. AFPKalpana Chawla logged 30 days, 14 hours, and 54 minutes in space over the course of her two missions. AFPShe became a US citizen and got a PhD before trying to reach space. AFPAfter her untimely demise, many honours were bestowed upon her. AFPShe served in various roles including as the Vice President of Overset Methods, Inc at NASA Research Centre before becoming an astronaut. AFPShe is the first and only Indian woman to go to space. AFP