Katherine G. Johnson, a human super computer and brilliant mathematician, calculated trajectories and played a major key role in the U.S. space flight program, including the Apollo 11 moon landing. She lived a remarkable life as being one of the few African Americans to work for NACA and NASA during her time.
She had acquired many achievements in her lifetime. One being in 1957, Katherine provided some of the math for the 1958 document Notes on Space Technology; lectures given by engineers in the Flight Research Division and the Pilotless Aircraft Research Division (PARD). Another achievement was for or the orbital mission in 1962, for which she is truly known for. Katherine was asked to do all calculations by hand for this mission to calculate the proper trajectory points before astronauts were launched into space. Although at the time, computers had a program to do this, they believed in her to have the final word and calculations that will make the mission a success; and it was!
Katherine’s mind and brilliance has not been forgotten after her retirement, and her legacy still lives on as NASA named their newest building after her and her excellent achievements.
To learn more about Katherine G. Johnson, visit NASA’s website at https://www.nasa.gov/content/katherine-johnson-biography or watch
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