Profession: NASA Mathematician
Biography: Katherine Johnson was an American mathematician whose calculations were instrumental in the success of NASA's early human spaceflight missions. She calculated the trajectory for Alan Shepard, the first American in space, and verified the calculations for John Glenn's historic orbit around Earth. Her work was crucial for the Apollo Moon landing program and the early years of the Space Shuttle program.
Johnson was one of a small group of African-American women who worked as "human computers" at NASA, performing complex calculations that were critical for the success of space missions. Her story, along with those of fellow NASA mathematicians Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, was told in the 2016 film Hidden Figures, based on a nonfiction book of the same name by Margot Lee Shetterly.
In recognition of her contributions to the space program, Johnson received numerous awards and honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2015.
Born: August 26, 1918
Birthplace: White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, USA
Generation: Greatest Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Horse
Star Sign: Virgo
Died: February 24, 2020 (aged 101)
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