GS PrelimsScience and TechnologyUniverse and Space Technology1998

Which of the following statements are true about the Indian born woman astronaut Kalpana Chawla? 1. She was born in Kamal. 2. She flew on board the shuttle flight STS-87. 3. She was trained at the Kennedy Space Centre. 4. She did a space-walk to retrieve the Spartan Satellite. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

A

I and II

B

II and III

C

I, II and III

D

I, II and IV

Correct Answer: Option A

Explanation

1. The question asks which statements about astronaut Kalpana Chawla are true. 2. Statement 1: Kalpana Chawla was born in Karnal, Haryana, India. This is true. 3. Statement 2: Her first space flight was aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia on flight STS-87 in 1997. This is true. 4. Statement 3: Astronauts undergo training at various NASA centers, including Johnson Space Center in Houston and Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch preparations. Claiming she was 'trained at' KSC might be partially true in the context of mission specifics, but primary astronaut training happens elsewhere. However, given the context of space missions, training associated with launch/mission operations at KSC is standard. This is likely considered true in this context. 5. Statement 4: During STS-87, the Spartan Satellite malfunctioned. Astronauts Winston Scott and Takao Doi performed a spacewalk to retrieve it, not Kalpana Chawla. This is false. 6. Therefore, statements 1, 2, and 3 are true. 7. The correct option combining true statements is (C) I, II and III.

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