NASA Launches Commercial Cargo Spacecraft Named After Astronaut Kalpana Chawla

The United States (US)' apex space agency NASA yesterday (2 October) fired off a commercial cargo spacecraft named after the deceased Indian origin astronaut Kalpana Chawla, reports Economic Times.

Named S.S. Kalpana Chawla, the rocket launched off from the mid-Atlantic regional spaceport (MARS) located at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility based in Virginia at 9.30 pm EST and it will arrive at the International Space Station (ISS) after a journey of two days, with a cargo of approximately 3,630 kilograms.

It should be remembered that Chawla was the first-ever woman of Indian-origin to reach the space. Born in Haryana, she went on to join NASA and become a successful astronaut. She made the supreme sacrifice to her dedication for space research and exploration, inspiring many.