February 1 marks 22 years since Kalpana Chawla’s tragic death in Columbia disaster

On February 1, 2003, the world lost Indian-American astronaut Kalpana Chawla and six other astronauts when the Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart during re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. The disaster occurred just 16 minutes before its scheduled landing in Florida, caused by damage to the shuttle’s left wing from foam that detached during launch 16 days earlier.

Chawla was the first woman of Indian origin to travel to space. Born in Karnal, Haryana, she moved to the United States in the 1980s after earning her aeronautical engineering degree from Punjab Engineering College. She flew aboard Columbia for the first time in 1997 and returned for her second mission on STS-107. Her death at 41 shocked the world, but her legacy continues to inspire many, especially women in science and space exploration. She has received posthumous awards like the Congressional Space Medal of Honor for her contributions to space.

Challenges faced by Sunita Williams
Sunita Williams, another Indian-origin astronaut, has also made history in space. She holds the record for the most spacewalk time by a woman, with 62 hours and 6 minutes. Recently, she and her colleague Butch Wilmore carried out a spacewalk on the International Space Station (ISS) to remove damaged radio communication equipment and collect samples for microorganism research.

Williams, who has been on the ISS since June 2024, faced challenges during her mission. She and Wilmore were supposed to return to Earth after an eight-day mission aboard Boeing's Starliner. However, technical issues like helium leaks and thruster malfunctions have delayed their return. NASA plans to bring them back in late March using a SpaceX spacecraft.

Despite these setbacks, Williams continues her work on the ISS. In 2012, she even completed a triathlon in space, showcasing her determination and resilience. Her achievements, alongside Chawla’s, highlight the incredible contributions of Indian-origin women to space exploration.