Katherine Johnson: Pioneering / Amazing NASA mathematician - Also black female ground-breaker

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Katherine Johnson was a NASA mathematician who played a key role in numerous NASA missions during the Space Race, perhaps most notably calculating the trajectory needed to get the Apollo 11 mission to the moon and back. As a black woman working for NASA in the 1950s and '60s, Johnson overcame social boundaries and racial discrimination. Her impressive career was the subject of the 2016 book and movie "Hidden Figures."



While in school, her potential was clear to her teachers. One of her professors, William Schieffelin Claytor, encouraged Johnson to become a research mathematician and created a geometry class just for her. After teaching for a few years, Johnson was accepted to West Virginia University's graduate math program, and in 1939, she became the first black woman to attend the school.



Johnson was tasked with calculating the trajectory for Alan Shepard's historic flight, during which he became the first American to reach space. She also confirmed the trajectory to send the first American into orbit around the Earth. By this time, NASA had begun using electronic computers to perform these tasks, but the machines could be a little temperamental. Before his Friendship 7 mission, astronaut John Glenn requested that Johnson personally recheck the calculations by hand. "If she says they're good, then I'm ready to go," Glenn said.



The next challenge was to send humans to the moon, and Johnson's calculations helped sync the Apollo 11 lunar lander with the moon-orbiting command and service module to get the astronauts back to Earth. She also proved invaluable on the Apollo 13 mission, providing backup procedures that helped ensure the crew's safe return after their craft malfunctioned. She later helped to develop the space shuttle program and Earth resources satellite, and she co-authored 26 research reports before retiring in 1986.



Above is cherry-picked for brevity -  LOTS more >>>- https://www.space.com/katherine-johnson.html">https://www.space.com/katherine-johnson.html



What a phenomenal mind! and grit!! .. A longtime hero of mine

[Anonymous]

I had heard of her, but I didn't know the extent of her achievements until she passed away. She had a remarkable life.

[Anonymous]

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/re9XNr6eWvXmhQrUpKqKyS-650-80.jpg">https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/re9XN ... 650-80.jpg">https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/re9XNr6eWvXmhQrUpKqKyS-650-80.jpg[/img]



Katherine Johnson was a NASA mathematician who played a key role in numerous NASA missions during the Space Race, perhaps most notably calculating the trajectory needed to get the Apollo 11 mission to the moon and back. As a black woman working for NASA in the 1950s and '60s, Johnson overcame social boundaries and racial discrimination. Her impressive career was the subject of the 2016 book and movie "Hidden Figures."



While in school, her potential was clear to her teachers. One of her professors, William Schieffelin Claytor, encouraged Johnson to become a research mathematician and created a geometry class just for her. After teaching for a few years, Johnson was accepted to West Virginia University's graduate math program, and in 1939, she became the first black woman to attend the school.



Johnson was tasked with calculating the trajectory for Alan Shepard's historic flight, during which he became the first American to reach space. She also confirmed the trajectory to send the first American into orbit around the Earth. By this time, NASA had begun using electronic computers to perform these tasks, but the machines could be a little temperamental. Before his Friendship 7 mission, astronaut John Glenn requested that Johnson personally recheck the calculations by hand. "If she says they're good, then I'm ready to go," Glenn said.



The next challenge was to send humans to the moon, and Johnson's calculations helped sync the Apollo 11 lunar lander with the moon-orbiting command and service module to get the astronauts back to Earth. She also proved invaluable on the Apollo 13 mission, providing backup procedures that helped ensure the crew's safe return after their craft malfunctioned. She later helped to develop the space shuttle program and Earth resources satellite, and she co-authored 26 research reports before retiring in 1986.



Above is cherry-picked for brevity -  LOTS more >>>- https://www.space.com/katherine-johnson.html">https://www.space.com/katherine-johnson.html



What a phenomenal mind! and grit!! .. A longtime hero of mine

 

[Anonymous]

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/re9XNr6eWvXmhQrUpKqKyS-650-80.jpg">https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/re9XN ... 650-80.jpg">https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/re9XNr6eWvXmhQrUpKqKyS-650-80.jpg[/img]



Katherine Johnson was a NASA mathematician who played a key role in numerous NASA missions during the Space Race, perhaps most notably calculating the trajectory needed to get the Apollo 11 mission to the moon and back. As a black woman working for NASA in the 1950s and '60s, Johnson overcame social boundaries and racial discrimination. Her impressive career was the subject of the 2016 book and movie "Hidden Figures."



While in school, her potential was clear to her teachers. One of her professors, William Schieffelin Claytor, encouraged Johnson to become a research mathematician and created a geometry class just for her. After teaching for a few years, Johnson was accepted to West Virginia University's graduate math program, and in 1939, she became the first black woman to attend the school.



Johnson was tasked with calculating the trajectory for Alan Shepard's historic flight, during which he became the first American to reach space. She also confirmed the trajectory to send the first American into orbit around the Earth. By this time, NASA had begun using electronic computers to perform these tasks, but the machines could be a little temperamental. Before his Friendship 7 mission, astronaut John Glenn requested that Johnson personally recheck the calculations by hand. "If she says they're good, then I'm ready to go," Glenn said.



The next challenge was to send humans to the moon, and Johnson's calculations helped sync the Apollo 11 lunar lander with the moon-orbiting command and service module to get the astronauts back to Earth. She also proved invaluable on the Apollo 13 mission, providing backup procedures that helped ensure the crew's safe return after their craft malfunctioned. She later helped to develop the space shuttle program and Earth resources satellite, and she co-authored 26 research reports before retiring in 1986.



Above is cherry-picked for brevity -  LOTS more >>>- https://www.space.com/katherine-johnson.html">https://www.space.com/katherine-johnson.html



What a phenomenal mind! and grit!! .. A longtime hero of mine

I saw it on the news. She don't look black.