Hundreds of shocked family and friends in the town of Karnal where Kalpana was born, went back to her old school to pray and lay flowers in front of her photograph.
They remember how she used to stand on the verandah when she was little and stare at the stars for hours, wishing she was there.
Kalpana was a role-model to young people in India and was thought of as a hero.
She had always been proud of her Indian roots but had recently said:
"When you look at the stars and the galaxy, you feel that you are not just from any particular piece of land, but from the solar system."