Contents
Katherine Johnson
Calculating flight paths for early US space missions.
NASA · Hidden Figures
- Born
- 26 August 1918
- Birthplace
- White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, USA
- Died
- 24 February 2020
More people
Katherine Johnson
An American mathematician whose precise calculations supported crewed spaceflight, from Mercury missions to lunar journeys.
Early life
Early talent
Entered high school at ten after her family found schooling beyond local segregation barriers.
College at fourteen
Studied mathematics at West Virginia State College.
Career
- 1937
Teaching
Graduated from college and began teaching.
- 1953
Langley appointment
Joined NACA, NASA’s predecessor.
- 1958–1986
Spaceflight research
Continued at NASA until retirement.
Contributions
Freedom 7
Calculated the trajectory for Alan Shepard’s flight.
Friendship 7
Checked electronic calculations before John Glenn orbited Earth.
Lunar missions
Worked on trajectories and return paths supporting Moon missions.
Beyond work
Family
Raised three daughters.
Encouraging students
Supported younger generations pursuing science and technology.
Sources & photo credit
Biographical reference ↗NASA: biography ↗Photo: NASA. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
