Katherine Johnson was an African American mathematician who made important contributions to the field of aeronautics and space science. What Are Some Fun Facts About Katherine Johnson? Her story is a reminder that anyone can achieve their dreams if they are willing to work hard and persevere. Despite being born into a segregated society, she was able to get an education and use her talents to make important contributions to science and technology. Johnson’s story is inspirational because she overcame many obstacles to become a leading figure in her field. In 2015, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.
She also helped to develop the guidance system for the Space Shuttle. After graduation, she began working for NASA, where she calculated the trajectories for the Mercury and Apollo space programs. She was born in 1918 in West Virginia and was one of the first African-American students to attend the college where she ultimately earned her degree in mathematics. Katherine Johnson was an African-American mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of aerospace engineering. I’m as good as anybody, but no better.” This quote highlights her confidence in her own abilities, and serves as an inspiration for others to believe in themselves as well. Katherine Johnson’s famous quote is “I don’t have a feeling of inferiority. Katherine Johnson is an inspiring figure for all women, especially women of color, who are interested in careers in science and mathematics. For her accomplishments, Katherine Johnson has received numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015. Katherine Johnson’s mathematical calculations were critical to the success of these missions. Katherine Johnson calculated trajectories for the Mercury and Apollo missions, including the 1969 Apollo 11 mission that first landed humans on the moon. Katherine Johnson was one of the early African American women to work as a research mathematician at NASA. Melvin, and a NASA Group Achievement Award.Katherine Johnson is an American physicist, space scientist and mathematician who was born on August 26, 1918. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Silver Snoopy Award from NASA astronaut Leland D. Towards the end of her life, these contributions began to receive the recognition they deserve. She also contributed to the beginning of the Space Shuttle program and worked on plans for a mission to Mars. The highlights? Calculations for astronauts Alan Shepard, the first American in space, and John Glenn, the first American in orbit - not to mention rendezvous paths for the Apollo Lunar Module and command module on flights to the moon. There, she calculated trajectories, launch windows, and emergency return paths for Project Mercury spaceflights.
“You lose your curiosity when you stop learning.”īy 1958, she had moved into the Spacecraft Controls Branch. The space agency refers to her historical role as “one of the first African American women to work as a NASA scientist.”
#KATHERINE JOHNSON NASA GROUP ACHIEVEMENT AWARD MANUAL#
A Rocketing Careerĭuring her 33-year career at NASA (and its predecessor NACA), she earned herself a reputation for acing complex manual calculations and pioneering the use of computers. Johnson accepted a job offer from the agency in June 1953 and was initially assigned to Dorothy Vaughan’s group. At a family gathering in 1952, a relative mentioned that the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was hiring mathematicians - including African Americans.
She began working as a teacher, but her life would soon change dramatically. By 1937, she graduated from West Virginia State with degrees in mathematics and French at the age of just 18. Although Greenbrier County did not offer public schooling for African American students past the eighth grade, her parents were determined to support her talent and enrolled her at a high school in Institute, West Virginia when she was 10 - splitting their time between there and their home in White Sulphur Springs. spaceflights into orbit.įrom an early age, Johnson revealed amazing mathematical abilities. Creola Katherine Johnson (1918–2020) was a talented African American mathematician and NASA employee whose calculations helped set the first crewed U.S.
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