On this day (02-01-2003) in Arlington’s history, UTA graduate and astronaut Kalpana Chawla tragically died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.
Kalpana Chawla
Kalpana Chawla was born in Karnal, India, on March 17, 1962. She moved to the U.S. in 1982 and graduated from UTA in 1984 with a master of science degree in aerospace engineering. She then earned a doctorate in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado in 1988.
Dr. Chawla soon joined NASA and worked at its Ames Research Center in California until 1993. After briefly leaving NASA, she was selected as an astronaut candidate and reported to Johnson Space Center in 1995. In 1997, she became the first Indian woman to go into space. She returned to space in 2003 as a crew member aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia.
Kalpana Chawla | Photo Credit: NASA
Tragically, on February 1, 2003, Columbia broke apart over Texas during re-entry, less than 20 minutes from its scheduled landing at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. All seven crew members, including Kalpana Chawla, were killed.
Between her two missions, Chawla logged over 30 days in space. Referred to as “KC” by her friends, she loved her work and was well-respected by her peers. Remembered for her kindness and sense of humor, Chawla enjoyed reading and hiking. Her passion was flying, though, and she had a Flight Instructor’s license and a Commercial Pilot’s license for single and multi-engine land and seaplanes.
UTA honors Dr. Chawla’s legacy in several ways. One is the Kalpana Chawla Hall—affectionately referred to as KC Hall on campus—a student residency hall that opened in 2004. The residency features the KC Remembrance Wall and a time capsule that will be opened in 2034. UTA’s College of Engineering also honors her legacy with the Kalpana Chawla Memorial Display, dedicated in 2010. The exhibit features one of her flight suits, photographs, and info about her life. And, there is also a scholarship awarded in her honor for students majoring in Aerospace Engineering.
UTA’s website has more info about Dr. Chawla’s life, work, and legacy.
https://www.uta.edu/academics/schools-colleges/engineering/about/facilities/kc-exhibit
Blog post by Jason S. Sullivan, 02-01-2024
Jason S. Sullivan 