Book Review Biography of Kalpana Chawla

THE EDGE OF TIME: THE AUTHORITATIVE BIOGRAPHY OF KALPANA CHAWLA by Jean-Pierre Harrison, Harrison Publishing, Los Gatos, California-95033, USA (2011), $5.99.

in 1978. She was the first Punjab Engineering College, Kalpana was girl ever to enrol in the offered a position with the Hindustan aeronautical engineering Aeronautics Limited in Bangalore, but she course, and one of the first turned down the offer and instead took up four girls to undertake any a position as lecturer at Punjab Engineering engineering course at the College. Meanwhile, she had applied for Punjab Engineering graduate aeronautical engineering College. Kalpana programmes at Georgia Institute of received her BSc in Technology, Rensselaer Polytechnic aeronautical engineering Institute in New York, and the University of in 1982. She continued her Texas at Arlington and had received studies in the USA and acceptance from all the three. But she received an MSc in decided to join the University of Texas and aerospace engineering arrived in Arlington in September 1982. from University of Texas in Initially her father was not agreeable to let On 1 February 2003, NASA’s space shuttle 1984, and a PhD in aerospace engineering his daughter live alone in a strange Columbia was destroyed during re-entry, from the University of Colorado in 1988. country, but eventually agreed. killing all the seven crew members on Harrison gives us a fair idea of the It was at Arlington that Harrington, who board, including the Indian-born astronaut environment in which Kalpana grew up. was a licensed pilot at that time, first met Kalpana Chawla. After her tragic death a Her family had to migrate from Pakistan Kalpana. Soon they were seen frequently few biographies of hers have been after partition, but her father had no flying together in a light plane. They also published. But, as Kalpana’s husband and remorse. Rather he was an enterprising went to several air shows in the area, which author Jean-Pierre Harrison says, the person and ventured into a variety of trades was a first for Kalpana. “As time present volume gives the reader more such as manufacture of steel chests, a progressed,” says Harrington, “Kalpana detailed insight into her character than has cloth store, and a tyre factory, and his and I found many common interests.” heretofore been available, as he has “not achievements “were substantial in their Among the many interests Kalpana cooperated with, contributed to, own right, without need for developed was that for SCUBA diving. endorsed, or otherwise authorised any embellishment...” Kalpana’s mother, Later, while attending the University of biography of Kalpana so far produced.” though not as intellectually driven as her Colorado, she took lessons to become a And he may be right, for what the reader husband, understood Kalpana well and stronger swimmer. After she was selected gets from this book may not be available “encouraged her adventures, also for astronaut training she took individual from any other source – a first-hand participated when able...” Kalpana’s lessons several times a week and a SCUBA account of Kalpana’s adventure-filled life oldest sister Sunita was a trailblazer in the course to get basic diver certification. and her tragic death. family who insisted on choosing her The determination of Kalpana was Born on 17 March 1962 in Karnal, husband rather than bowing to her father’s evident from the fact that even after the Haryana, Kalpana was originally called wishes. Kalpana’s other siblings were tragic Challenger disaster in January 1986, “Montu” by the family. At the age of three equally talented and this must have been she decided to apply for the NASA she chose the name “Kalpana”, meaning an important factor in Kalpana’s Astronaut Corps once she acquired US “imagination”, as her formal name. She upbringing. citizenship. After getting her PhD from the attended Tagore Bal Niketan School, and Kalpana’s journey to the edge of time University of Colorado in 1988, she was later Dayal Singh College and DAV College began with a small step – a flight over the offered a position as Research Scientist in for Women, all in Karnal. Kalpana had plains of Haryana in a Pushpak aircraft as the Computational Fluid Dynamics Group decided on a career in aeronautical a young girl in the early 1970s. She still had at NASA Ames Research Centre in engineering at an early age, and joined a long way to go. After receiving her BSc Sunnyvale, California. She became a US Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh degree in aeronautical engineering from citizen in April 1991. SCIENCE REPORTER, MAY 2012 40 The entire crew could not visit Kalpana’s family was at Houston on various delays ultimately pushed the India, as relations between the the occasion of the launch of STS-87. They launch date to 16 January 2003. United States and India had stayed at a hotel about six kilometres away The launch went off perfectly. become strained after India’s from Kennedy Space Centre. On 10 Kalpana’s family was in Houston to witness November 1997, the launch day, families the launch. There were two video underground nuclear tests on 11 of the STS-87 crew were hosted in the conferences while Kalpana was in orbit. and 13 May 1998. Kalpana Kennedy Space Centre Launch Director’s “Kalpana demonstrated tumbles and could not visit her native country office from where they could watch the caught floating treats with her mouth in any official capacity because, lift-off. Columbia lifted off at 2.46 p.m. local before eating them.” The family enjoyed time. Eight minutes later, Columbia was in their daughter’s antics and looked forward as an astronaut, she was a orbit. The crew released themselves from to seeing her home soon. representative of the US their seats and removed their orange On 1 February, the day Columbia was government. pressure suits. to return home, Harrington was at the Once in orbit microgravity started Shuttle Landing Facility viewing area at having its effect on the crew. Kalpana noted Kennedy Space Centre, eagerly awaiting In the summer of 1994, Kalpana that during her first day in orbit, “she Kalpana’s return. But joy soon turned into received an interview call from Johnson constantly felt as if she were falling forward.” apprehension, as repeated radio calls Space Centre in Houston. She underwent She also had difficulty in falling asleep in from the Mission Control to the shuttle crew thorough medical examinations, a the space shuttle’s weightless environment. went unanswered. Moreover, Columbia psychological assessment, physical fitness This is natural because in absence of had not reported over Merritt Island evaluations, and a formal interview with a gravitational cues the brain is unable to adjacent to Kennedy Space Centre board of current, active astronauts. She tell whether the body is lying down or immediately before it was expected to was accepted into the NASA Astronaut standing up, which makes sleeping difficult. land. It was clear that Columbia was not Corps in December 1994. During the flight the shuttle crew going to land at Kennedy Space Centre. Kalpana and her husband arrived in completed most of the assigned tasks Something was seriously wrong with the Houston, Texas in March 1995. Kalpana except the deployment of the Spartan flight. But no one knew what it was. had to undergo rigorous training including satellite. Kalpana was responsible for Shortly thereafter, NASA Administrator learning to fly a supersonic jet trainer, deploying the satellite from the payload Sean O’Keefe made the announcement, parachute jump training, training in bay with the remote manipulator arm. But “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to ejection seat operations, and a week-long because of software problems and failure do…” Soon, footage of Columbia breaking survival course. She was trained in of a second crewmember to adhere to up in the sky was on every TV channel. simulated microgravity operations at a the backup protocol, the satellite was not Kalpana’s family members were at large swimming pool described as a activated before it was deployed and Harrington’s home in Houston, where they “neutral density tank”. But despite all the later had to be retrieved from orbit. saw the accident on TV. In Kalpana’s training, Kalpana could not be considered Kalpana had the privilege of speaking death certificate, the place of death was for extra-vehicular activity in space with the then Indian Prime Minister I.K. Gujral noted as “Airspace over Texas”. She was because she was found to be “too small” from orbit. Gujral is said to have dressed in a blue NASA flight suit before for space suits meant for extra-vehicular commented later that talking to Kalpana cremation. activity, commonly known as ‘spacewalk’. in orbit was for him the high point of 1997. The Edge of Time is a unique In November 1996, Kalpana was The STS-87 mission ended with the safe biography, lovingly done, by someone who selected for the STS 87 – the 24th flight of landing of Columbia on 5 December 1997. has been witness to the finest moments in space shuttle Columbia, which carried a Tragically, although the entire crew Kalpana’s life. Written in a lucid style, six-member crew. She was assigned the of STS-87 wanted to visit India soon after without much hype, it presents great crew position of Mission Specialist 1 and the flight, they could not, as relations insights into the life of one of India’s bravest backup Flight Engineer for ascent. between the United States and India women – her grit and determination. Her Harrington says Kalpana “was happy to be became strained after India’s story is an example of the success that assigned to any mission and trained underground nuclear tests on 11 and 13 can be earned from hard work and professionally, ignoring annoyances and May 1998. Kalpana could not visit her persistence, and her life will certainly serve irritations.” native country in any official capacity as an inspiration to Indian school children As Kalpana was training for STS-87, she because, as an astronaut, she was a and youth, motivating them to take up new received a message from US Secretary of representative of the US government. challenges in life. State Madeleine Albright to tape a video Thirteen years later, when Kalpana was message to the Indian Parliament. But informed of her selection as a Kalpana was unwilling to accede to such crewmember for STS-107 in the summer of a request because she wished to avoid 2000, she was overjoyed to be given the any hint of involvement in politics. opportunity to fly in space again. She Reviewed by Mr Biman Basu, former Editor of Ultimately, the STS-87 crew as a whole served as Flight Engineer and Mission Science Reporter and eminent science agreed to tape a short video for Albright’s Specialist for STS-107. Space shuttle communicator. Address: C-203, Hindon Apartments, presentation, thus avoiding the possibility Columbia was originally scheduled for 25 Vasundhara Enclave, Delhi-110096; of any misuse of Kalpana’s name. launch on its 28th flight on 11 May 2000, but Email: [email protected] 41 SCIENCE REPORTER, MAY 2012