When was the asteroid, discovered at Palomar Observatory by the JPL Near Earth Asteroid Tracking Program and named after an astronaut who was killed in the Space Shuttle "Columbia" disaster, discovered?
51824 Mikeanderson 51824 Mikeanderson (2001 OE ) is an asteroid named for astronaut Mike Anderson, who was killed in the STS-107 ("Columbia") space shuttle reentry disaster on February 1, 2003. 51824 Mikeanderson was discovered on July 19, 2001, at Palomar Observatory by the JPL Near Earth Asteroid Tracking Program.
Kalpana Chawla Kalpana Chawla (March 17, 1962 – February 1, 2003) was an American astronaut and the first woman of Indian origin in space. She first flew on Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997 as a mission specialist and primary robotic arm operator. In 2003, Chawla was one of the seven crew members who died in the Space Shuttle "Columbia" disaster when the craft disintegrated during its re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Chawla is a recipient of the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.