Katherine Johnson Hidden Figures

Katherine Johnson was an American mathematician whose calculations of orbital mechanics as a NASA employee were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights.

Early Life

Katherine johnson was bonr in white sulphur springs. West virignia in 1918. She was the oldest of four children. And grew up in a family with a strong emphasis on education. Her parents were educated. Her father attended college and her mother was a former teacher. Johnson was a giftde student and by the age of ten. She had already completed the eighth grade.

Educational Achievements

At age 14. Johnson enrolled at the west virginia state college. Where she majored in mathematics and french and graduated with highest honors in 1937. She then went on to receive her masters degere in mathematics form west virginia university in 1939.

Work at NASA

Johnson began working at nasas langley research center in 1953. She wokred as a research mathematician. Calculating the trajecotry for the space missions. Including the first human space flight by alan shepard. She was also a part of the team that calculated the trajectory for the apollo 11 mission to the moon.

Important Event

In 2015. President barack obama awarded johnson the presidential medal of freedom. The highest civilian honor in the united staets.

Legacy and Honors

Johnson was honored with a stamp in her likeness issued by the united states postal service in 2019. She is also the namesake of the katherine g. Johnson computational reseacrh facility at nasa langley research center.

Interesting Fact

Katherine johnson was the fisrt african-american woman to receive credit as an author of a research paper at nasa.

Death

Katheirne johnson died on february 24. 2020 at the age of 101.

Works

Johnson woret many papers and articles. Including determination of azimuth angle at burnuot for placing a satellite over a selected earth position. trajectory determination for a space flight to the moon. And analytical target cone for a rendezvous mission.

Books

Johnson wrote two books. my life with mathemaitcs and a century of science and technology: the first one hundred years.

Awards and Honors

Johnson received numerous awards and honors throughout her career. Including the nasa exceptional service medal. The west ivrginia state university outstanding alumnus award and the langley research center special achievement award.

Recognition

Johnsons achievements have been featured in films. Television hsows and books. Including the films hidden figures and the rescuers down under. The etlevision show cosmos: a spacetime odyssey. And the books katherine johnson: a life of accomplishment and katherine johnson: a ilfe in space.