Earth and Space News: Lunar Chawla Crater Honors Columbia Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla

Summary: Lunar Chawla Crater honors Space Shuttle Columbia Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla, who perished with his six colleagues on the spaceplane in 2003.

On Friday, Jan. 17, 2003, during her second spaceflight, Kalpana Chawla, mission specialist 2 of Space Shuttle Columbia's 28th mission, STS-107 (Thursday, Jan. 16, to Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003), is stationed on the shuttle orbiter's flight deck; NASA ID S107E05001: Not subject to copyright, via NASA Image and Video Library

The lunar southern hemisphere's far side Chawla Crater honors Space Shuttle Columbia Mission Specialist 2 Kalpana Chawla (March 17, 1962-Feb. 1, 2003), who perished during her second spaceflight, along with her six colleagues, as the shuttle orbiter re-entered Earth's atmosphere Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003.

Apollo Crater accommodates within its southeastern interior seven craters named for the 58th mission's seven astronauts. Also known as Apollo Basin, the considerable impact crater represents a basin-within-a-basin with its residence in the immense South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin. Apollo Crater lies in the SPA Basin's northeastern quadrant, according to Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center's mineralogy and petrology specialist, Canadian-American geologist Donald Allen Morrison (July 19, 1936-Jan. 16, 2021), and then Lunar and Planetary Institute postdoctoral researcher, American physicist and planetary geologist D. Benjamin J. Bussey, in their paper, "The Apollo and Korolev basins and the stratigraphy of the lunar crust," presented at the 28th Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conference (LPSC 1997), held in Houston, Texas, March 17-21, 1997.

Apollo Crater is centered at minus 35.69 degrees south latitude, minus 151.48 degrees west longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes touch minus 28.12 degrees south and minus 44.19 degrees south, respectively. The worn geologic structure's easternmost and westernmost longitudes span minus 140.58 degrees west to minus 162.07 degrees west, respectively. Apollo Crater's diameter spans 524.23 kilometers.

Chawla Crater is centered at minus 42.48 degrees south latitude, minus 147.49 degrees west longitude. It distinguishes its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 42.24 degrees south and minus 42.71 degrees south, respectively. It officializes its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 147.17 degrees west and minus 147.80 degrees west, respectively.

Chawla Crater has a diameter of 14.25 kilometers. Its littleness qualifies Chawla Crater as the smallest of the lunar far side's Columbia Craters.

Chawla Crater is positioned almost midway between D. Brown and L. Clark craters. Chawla Crater neighbors to the south of D. Brown Crater and to the north of L. Clark Crater. L. Clark Crater's location qualifies as the southernmost among the lunar far side's Columbia craters.

D. Brown Crater honors David McDowell Brown (April 16, 1956-Feb. 1, 2003). The United States Navy captain and NASA astronaut served as Mission Specialist 1 on Space Shuttle Columbia's 28th and final mission, which also qualified as Brown's first and last spaceflight.

D. Brown Crater is centered at minus 41.65 degrees south latitude, minus 147.16 degrees west longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes exist at minus 41.38 degrees south and minus 41.91 degrees south, respectively. It realizes its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 146.80 degrees west and minus 147.52 degrees west, respectively. D. Brown Crater has a diameter of 16.12 kilometers.

L. Clark Crater honors Laurel Blair Salton Clark (March 10, 1961-Feb. 1, 2003). For her first and only spaceflight, the American Naval Flight Surgeon and NASA astronaut served as Mission Specialist 4 on Space Shuttle Columbia's fatal 28th mission.

L. Clark Crater is centered at minus 43.34 degrees south latitude, minus 147.70 degrees west longitude. It reveals northernmost and southernmost latitudes of minus 43.08 degrees south and minus 43.59 degrees south, respectively. It reaches its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 147.35 degrees west and minus 148.04 degrees west, respectively. L. Clark Crater has a diameter of 15.30 kilometers.

Craters named for Space Shuttle Columbia's seven fallen astronaut occur in the southeastern interior of Apollo Crater, also known as Apollo Basin, an enormous impact crater in the southern hemisphere on the lunar far side; Moon 1:10 million-scale Shaded Relief and Color-coded Topography: via Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature

McCool Crater lies to the northeast of Chawla Crater. McCool Crater's position qualifies as the easternmost among the lunar far side's Columbia craters.

McCool Crater honors American naval officer and aviator, test pilot, aeronautical engineer and NASA astronaut William Cameron McCool (born William Cameron Graham; Sep. 23, 1961-Feb. 1, 2003). McCool's position as the STS-107 mission's Pilot marked his first and only spaceflight.

McCool Crater is centered at minus 41.28 degrees south latitude, minus 146.26 degrees west longitude. Its northernmost and southernmost latitudes terminate at minus 40.94 degrees south and minus 41.62 degrees south latitude, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes end at minus 145.81 degrees west and minus 146.71 degrees west, respectively. McCool Crater has a diameter of 20.47 kilometers.

M. Anderson and Ramon craters are sited to the northwest of Chawla Crater. M. Anderson Crater's position to the west of Ramon Crater qualifies as the westernmost among the lunar far side's Columbia craters.

M. Anderson Crater honors Michael Phillip Anderson (Dec. 25, 1959-Feb. 1, 2003). The United States Air Force officer and NASA astronaut served as Payload Commander and Mission Specialist 3 for his second spaceflight.

M. Anderson Crater is centered at minus 41.21 degrees south latitude, minus 148.99 degrees west longitude. It marks its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 40.93 degrees south and minus 41.49 degrees south, respectively. It posts its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 148.62 degrees west and minus 149.36 degrees west, respectively. M. Anderson Crater has a diameter of 16.94 kilometers.

Ramon Crater honors Ilan Ramon (born Ilan Wolferman; June 20, 1954-Feb 1, 2003). The Israeli Air Force (IAF) fighter pilot and first Israeli astronaut served as Space Shuttle Columbia's Payload Specialist for his first and only spaceflight.

Ramon Crater is centered at minus 41.23 degrees south latitude, minus 148.08 degrees west longitude. Ramon Crater obtains its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 40.97 degrees south and minus 41.49 degrees south, respectively. Its easternmost and westernmost longitudes occur at minus 147.71 degrees west and minus 148.45 degrees west, respectively. Ramon Crater has a diameter of 17.23 kilometers.

Husband Crater is placed distantly to the northwest of Chawla Crater. It resides north of Ramon Crater and northeast of M. Anderson Crater. Husband Crater's position qualifies as the northernmost among the lunar far side's Columbia craters.

Husband Crater honors Richard "Rick" Douglas Husband (July 12, 1957-Feb. 1, 2003). For his second spaceflight, the American fighter pilot and NASA astronaut served as commander of Space Shuttle Columbia's last, tragic flight, Thursday, Jan. 16, to Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003.

Commander Rick Husband's lunar crater is centered at minus 40.32 degrees south latitude, minus 147.84 degrees west longitude. It experiences northernmost and southernmost latitudes of minus 39.85 degrees south and minus 40.78 degrees south, respectively. The crater encounters its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at minus 147.17 degrees west and minus 148.51 degrees west, respectively. Husband Crater's diameter measures 31.26 kilometers.

Chawla Crater's name received official approval in 2006, during the International Astronomical Union’s XXVIth (26th) General Assembly, held Monday, Aug. 14, to Friday, Aug. 25, in Prague, Czech Republic. Batch approval of all seven Columbia-themed lunar craters was granted during the XXVIth General Assembly.

Detail of Lunar Aeronautical Chart (LAC) 121 shows the seven southern hemisphere craters honoring Mission Specialist 2 Kalpana Chawla and her six Space Shuttle Columbia colleagues in the lunar far side's Apollo Basin: image credit NASA/GSFC/ASU, via USGS Astrogeology Science Center / Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Dedication

This post is dedicated to the memory of our beloved blue-eyed brother, Charles, who guided the creation of the Met Opera and Astronomy posts on Earth and Space News. We memorialized our brother in "Our Beloved Blue-Eyed Brother, Charles, With Whom We Are Well Pleased," published on Earth and Space News on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, an anniversary of our beloved father's death.

Image credits:

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International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Chawla.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14139

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “D. Brown.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14138

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Husband.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14140

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “L. Clark.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14143

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “M. Anderson.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Feb. 1, 2011, 2:19 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14137

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “McCool.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14141

International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Ramon.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > The Moon. Last updated Oct. 18, 2010, 12:00 p.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/14142

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Marriner, Derdriu. "Lunar Far Side McCool Crater Honors Columbia Pilot William McCool." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024.
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The Moon Wiki. “Chawla.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > C Nomenclature.
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The Moon Wiki. “McCool.” The Moon > Lunar Features Alphabetically > M Nomenclature.
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Available via Harvard ADSABS (NASA Astrophysics Data System Abstracts) @ https://adsabs.harvard.edu/pdf/1997LPI....28..987M

NASA's Glenn Research Center. "Jean-Pierre Harrison, husband of Columbia astronaut Kalpana Chawla, shared personal photos & memories of her during our day of remembrance event #NASARemembers #NASAglenn." Jan. 31, 2017.
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. "Ilan Ramon, Payload Specialist." National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. "Kalpana Chawla, Mission Specialist." National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Biographies.html
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Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Biographies.html
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. "William C. McCool, Pilot." National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
Available via NASA History @ https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Biographies.html
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Earth and Space News

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Lunar Chawla Crater Honors Columbia Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla

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