Kalpana Chawla, first Indian woman in space, born 1961

Kalpana Chawla, born July 1, 1961 in India, was the first Indian woman astronaut.  She
flew on Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997 as a mission specialist.  She also served as the primary robotic arm operator.

Her second voyage, also on the Columbia, ended in disaster as the shuttle disintegrated upon re-entry February 1, 2003.