Rakesh Sharma

Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, AC, (born January 13, 1949) is a former Indian Air Force test pilot, and Cosmonaut who flew in space aboard Soyuz T-11 as part of an Intercosmos Research Team. Sharma was the first Indian to travel in space.[1][2] Nationality Status Born Other occupation Rank Time in space Missions Awards Indian Retired January 13, 1949 (age 62) Patiala, Punjab, India Test Pilot Wing Commander, Indian Air Force 7d 21h 40m Soyuz T-11 / Soyuz T-10 Ashok Chakra Hero of the Soviet Union

Sharma joined the Indian Air Force and progressed rapidly through the ranks. Sharma, then a Squadron Leader and pilot with the Indian Air Force embarked on a historic mission in 1984 as part of a joint space program between the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Soviet Intercosmos space program, and spent eight days in space aboard the Salyut 7 space station. Launched along with two Soviet cosmonauts aboard Soyuz T-11 on the 3 April 1984, was 35-year-old Sharma. During the flight, Sharma conducted multi-spectral photography of northern India in anticipation of the construction of hydroelectric power stations in the Himalayas. In a famous conversation, he was asked by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi how India looked from space, to which he replied, '''''Main binaa jhijhak ke keh sakta hoon..,'Sare Jahan Se Achcha''''', (a reference to an iconic poem used in India's freedom struggle, usually referred to as 'Saare jahaan se atchha Hindustan hamara, ' our land of Hindustan, is the Best in the world'). He was conferred with the honour of Hero of Soviet Union upon his return from space. The Government of India conferred its highest gallantry award (during peace time), the Ashoka Chakra on him and the other two Russian members of his mission.Sharma and his backup, Wing Commander Ravish Malhotra, also prepared an elaborate series of zero-gravity Yoga exercises which the former had practised aboard the Salyut 7. Retiring with the rank of Wing Commander, Rakesh Sharma joined Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as a test pilot at its Nashik Division. He was later based at the National Flight Test Center (NFTC) in Bangalore and worked on the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft program, among others.

Kalpana Chawla

NASA Astronaut Born Died Previous occupation Time in space Selection Missions July 1, 1961 Karnal, Haryana, India February 1, 2003 (aged 41) Over Texas Research Scientist 31d 14h 54m 1994 NASA Group STS-87, STS-107

Kalpana Chawla (July 1, 1961 February 1, 2003) was an Indian-American astronaut with NASA. She was one of seven crew members killed in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster.

Early life
Kalpana Chawla was born in Karnal, Haryana, India in July 1 ,1961 to Banarasi Lal Chawla and Sanjyothi. . Chawla has two sisters, Sunita and Deepa, and a brother, Sanjay. Being the youngest the family members gave her the nickname "Montu." In 1983, she met and married Jean-Pierre Harrison, a flying instructor and aviation writer. She became a US citizen in 1990.

[edit] Education
Chawla completed her earlier schooling at Tagore Public School, Karnal. She earned her Bachelor of Engineering degree in Aeronautical Engineering at [Punjab Engineering College] in Chandigarh in 1982. She moved to the United States in 1982 and obtained a M.S. degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1984. Chawla went on to earn a second M.S. degree in 1986 and a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering in 1988 from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Later that year she began working for NASA as vice president of Overset Methods, Inc. where she did CFD research on Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing. Chawla held a Certificated Flight Instructor rating for airplanes, gliders and Commercial Pilot licenses for single and multi-engine airplanes, seaplanes and gliders. She held an FCC issued Technician Class Amateur Radio license.

Death
Kalpana died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster which occurred on February 1, 2003, when the Space Shuttle disintegrated over Texas during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, with the loss of all seven crew members, shortly before it was scheduled to conclude its 28th mission, STS-107.

[edit] Awards
Posthumously awarded:

Congressional Space Medal of Honor NASA Space Flight Medal NASA Distinguished Service Medal