History Today: When Kalpana Chawla embarked on her maiden space mission

Kalpana Chawla broke all barriers on November 19, 1997, when she embarked on her maiden mission aboard Nasa’s Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-87). This marked India’s representation in global space exploration.

If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers’ ongoing series,  History Today will be your one-stop destination to explore key events.

On this day in 1863, former US President Abraham Lincoln travelled to Gettysburg in Pennsylvania to deliver one of the most iconic speeches in American history — the Gettysburg Address.

Here is all that took place on this day across the world.

Kalpana Chawla’s first space mission

Kalpana Chawla embarked on her maiden mission aboard Nasa’s Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-87) on November 19, 1997. Chawla served as a mission specialist and primary robotic arm operator, bringing her extensive training in aerospace engineering to the forefront.

The STS-87 mission, the fourth US Microgravity Payload flight, aimed to conduct scientific experiments in materials science, combustion studies, and space physics. Chawla was responsible for deploying the Spartan-201 satellite, designed to study the outer layers of the sun. Although the satellite failed to perform as expected after deployment and required manual retrieval by astronauts Winston Scott and Takao Doi, Chawla took full responsibility with remarkable professionalism.

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During the 15-day mission, the crew performed more than 250 experiments, including studies on microgravity’s effects on various physical and biological processes. Chawla played a key role in managing several of these experiments. Her calm focus, technical expertise, and ability to adapt quickly to challenges earned her the deep admiration of her colleagues.

STS-87 completed 252 orbits around the Earth, travelling over 10 million kilometres before landing at Kennedy Space Center on December 5, 1997. The mission established Chawla as a respected astronaut and role model, inspiring millions across India and the world.

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Abraham Lincoln delivered Gettysburg Address

One of the most famous speeches in the history of America, the Gettysburg Address, was given by then-President Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863. Lincoln arrived a day earlier in Pennsylvania’s Gettysburg after a long train journey from Washington with members of his cabinet, dignitaries, and reporters. The nation was still reeling from the devastation of the Battle of Gettysburg, fought in July 1863, where more than 50,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, or missing. The cemetery was being established to honour the Union soldiers who died in that turning-point battle of the American Civil War.

Lincoln spent the evening of November 18 at the home of Judge David Wills, whose invitation had brought him to Gettysburg. According to historical accounts, he refined his remarks that night, though his brief address would ultimately total just 272 words. The president aimed not merely to dedicate a cemetery but to redefine the war’s purpose and remind the nation of its founding ideals.

Keynote speaker Edward Everett delivered a two-hour oration during the official ceremony on November 19. This was followed by Lincoln’s speech beginning with the immortal words, “Four score and seven years ago…” He framed the Civil War as a struggle to preserve a nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to equality. Lincoln honoured the fallen by urging the living to continue the ‘unfinished work’ for which they fought, ensuring that ‘government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.’

Though initial reactions were mixed, the Gettysburg Address soon came to be celebrated as a defining statement of American democracy.

This Day, That Year

• Amazon.com began selling the Kindle on this day in 2007.

• Brazilian football player Pelé scored his 1,000th career goal in 1969.

• The man in the iron mask, a political prisoner famous in French history and legend, died in the Bastille in 1703.

With inputs from agencies