Katherine Johnson

Katherine Johnson
NASA · Public domain · source
Name	Katherine Johnson
Birth date	August 26, 1918
Birth place	White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
Death date	February 24, 2020
Death place	Newport News, Virginia
Occupation	Mathematician, NASA employee

Katherine Johnson was a renowned American mathematician who worked at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), later known as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), from 1953 until her retirement in 1986. Her exceptional mathematical skills and contributions to the Space Race played a crucial role in the success of NASA's early spaceflights, including the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission, which launched John Glenn into orbit around the Earth. Johnson's work was also instrumental in the Apollo 11 mission, which successfully landed Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the Moon. Her calculations and analyses were often checked by IBM computers, but her accuracy and attention to detail earned her the respect and trust of her colleagues, including Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson.

● Early Life and Education

Katherine Johnson was born on August 26, 1918, in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, to Joshua and Joylette Coleman, and grew up in a family that valued education. She began attending school at the age of four and demonstrated exceptional mathematical abilities from an early age, which were encouraged by her parents and teachers, including William Claytor, a mathematician at West Virginia State College. Johnson attended West Virginia State College, where she studied mathematics and French, and was mentored by William Claytor and Angela Perez Baraquio. She graduated summa cum laude in 1937 and went on to teach at a public school in Marshall, West Virginia, before moving to Newport News, Virginia, to work at NASA.

● Career

Johnson's career at NASA began in 1953, when she was hired as a mathematician in the Guidance and Navigation Department of the Langley Research Center. She worked alongside other talented mathematicians, including Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, and quickly gained recognition for her exceptional skills and attention to detail. Johnson's work involved calculating trajectories and orbits for spacecraft, including the Mercury and Apollo missions, and she collaborated with engineers and scientists, such as Christopher C. Kraft Jr. and Gene Kranz, to ensure the success of these missions. Her calculations and analyses were critical to the success of NASA's early spaceflights, and she worked closely with astronauts, including John Glenn and Alan Shepard, to prepare them for their missions.

● Contributions to NASA

Johnson's contributions to NASA were instrumental in the success of the Space Race, and her calculations and analyses played a crucial role in the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission, which launched John Glenn into orbit around the Earth. She also worked on the Apollo 11 mission, which successfully landed Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the Moon, and collaborated with engineers and scientists, such as Margaret Hamilton and Katherine Sullivan, to develop the Apollo Guidance Computer. Johnson's work at NASA also involved calculating trajectories and orbits for spacecraft, including the Pioneer 10 and Voyager 1 missions, and she worked closely with astronauts, including Sally Ride and Guion Bluford, to prepare them for their missions.

● Personal Life

Johnson married James Francis Goble in 1939, and the couple had three daughters, Constance, Joylette, and Katherine. After her husband's death in 1956, Johnson married James A. Johnson in 1959, and the couple remained together until his death in 2019. Johnson was a devout Christian and attended the Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church in Newport News, Virginia, where she was an active member of the congregation. She was also a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and supported various charitable organizations, including the United Negro College Fund and the National Council of Negro Women.

● Legacy and Recognition

Johnson's legacy and contributions to NASA were recognized in 2015, when she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama, and in 2016, when she was portrayed by Taraji P. Henson in the film Hidden Figures, which tells the story of her life and career at NASA. Johnson also received the National Medal of Science in 2017, and was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 2018. Her contributions to NASA and her legacy as a pioneering mathematician and scientist have inspired generations of women and minorities to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and she remains an iconic figure in the history of space exploration.

● Later Life and Death

Johnson passed away on February 24, 2020, at the age of 101, in Newport News, Virginia, leaving behind a legacy of exceptional mathematical skills and contributions to the Space Race. Her death was mourned by NASA and the scientific community, and she was remembered as a pioneering mathematician and scientist who paved the way for future generations of women and minorities in STEM fields. Johnson's legacy continues to inspire and motivate students and researchers around the world, and her contributions to NASA and the Space Race remain an important part of the history of space exploration. Category:American mathematicians