Katherine Johnson

Katherine Johnson passed away on February 24, 2020, at the age of 101. Her remarkable life and career were celebrated worldwide, and she was remembered as a trailblazer who broke barriers for women and African Americans in science and engineering.

On November 24, 2015, Katherine Johnson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama. This honor recognized her outstanding contributions to mathematics and her pivotal role in the success of the U.S. space program.

Katherine Johnson retired from NASA in 1986 after a distinguished career spanning over three decades. Her contributions to space exploration and mathematics left a lasting legacy and paved the way for future generations of scientists and engineers.

Katherine Johnson's work contributed to the success of the Apollo 11 mission, which landed the first humans on the Moon on July 20, 1969. Her calculations helped ensure the mission's safe trajectory and return, marking a pivotal moment in space history.

In 1962, Katherine Johnson's expertise was called upon for John Glenn's Friendship 7 mission. Glenn specifically requested that she verify the computer calculations for his orbital flight, underscoring her critical role in the mission's success.

Katherine Johnson's calculations were vital for the success of Alan Shepard's Freedom 7 mission on May 5, 1961. Her work ensured the spacecraft's trajectory was safe and accurate, marking a significant milestone in American space exploration.

In 1953, Katherine Johnson joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which later became NASA. Her work as a 'computer' involved performing complex calculations that were crucial for the success of the U.S. space program.

In 1939, Katherine Johnson became one of the first African American women to enroll in graduate school at West Virginia University. This was a significant step in her educational journey, although she left the program to start a family before completing her degree.

In 1937, Katherine Johnson graduated summa cum laude with degrees in mathematics and French from West Virginia State College. Her exceptional academic performance set the stage for her future contributions to the field of mathematics and space exploration.

Katherine Johnson was born on August 26, 1918, in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, United States. She would go on to become a pioneering mathematician whose calculations were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. manned spaceflights.