Kalpana Chawla

Kalpana Chawla (July 1 1961 ? February 1 2003), was an astronaut and space shuttle mission specialist. She died aboard STS-107 (Space Shuttle Columbia) when it disintegrated during reentry into the Earth's atmosphere.

Personal characteristics

Chawla and her husband lived adjacent to Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Chawla was a strict vegetarian. On her mission, she carried a white silk banner as part of a worldwide campaign to honor teachers, as well as nearly two dozen CDs, including ones by Abida Parveen, Yehudi Menuhin, Ravi Shankar, and Deep Purple. She went to her first rock concert, a Deep Purple show, in 2001 with her husband. "Kalpana is not necessarily a rock music aficionado," her husband said of a Deep Purple show, "...but (she) nevertheless characterized the show as a 'spiritual experience.'" Chawla had no interest in religion and did not attend or participate in any such activities - especially after arriving in the United States. She enjoyed birdwatching, backpacking, hiking, flying, and reading.

Related Topics:
Johnson Space Center - Houston, Texas - Vegetarian - Abida Parveen - Yehudi Menuhin - Ravi Shankar - Deep Purple - 2001

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