Katherine Johnson
Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson (August 26, 1918 – February 24, 2020) was an African American physicist and mathematician. She finished schooling at a very early age. Katherine Johnson was 1 of the first 3 black people allowed to study at West Virginia University, because which before that was officially racist and did not let black people be students.[1] She was known for her work on the United States' aeronautics and space programs where she worked with the early application of digital electronic computers at NASA.
Katherine Johnson | |
|---|---|
 Katherine Johnson in 2008 | |
| Born | Katherine Coleman August 26, 1918 |
| Died | February 24, 2020 (aged 101) Newport News, Virginia, US |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | West Virginia State University, West Virginia University |
| Occupation | Physicist, Mathematician |
| Employer | NACA, NASA |
| Known for | Calculating the trajectories for many NASA missions |
She was also known for accuracy in computerized celestial navigation. She made it possible for many space flights such as Project Mercury, including the early NASA missions of John Glenn and Alan Shepard, and the 1969 Apollo 11 flight to the Moon, through the Space Shuttle program to happen.[2][3] Her calculations were critical to the success of these missions.[2]
Johnson also did calculations for plans for a mission to Mars. Katherine Goble Johnson wrote 26 research reports. She was the first woman to attend an editorial meeting at NASA.[4]
In 2015, Johnson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She was included in the BBC series 100 Women the next year.
Johnson died on February 24, 2020 at her home in Newport News, Virginia at the age of 101.[5]
Katherine Johnson Media
Johnson working at the Spacecraft Controls Branch of NASA in 1966.
The first NASA report showing Johnson's name as co-author.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom was awarded to Johnson in 2015.
Johnson in front of the Computational Research Facility named for her.
Sign of the Katherine Johnson Global Academy in Baltimore, Maryland
Johnson receiving a NASA Group Achievement Award
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Related pages
References
- ↑ Loff, Sarah (2016-11-22). "Katherine Johnson Biography" (in en). NASA. https://www.nasa.gov/content/katherine-johnson-biography. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Smith, Yvette (November 24, 2015). "Katherine Johnson: The Girl Who Loved to Count". NASA. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
- ↑ "Katherine G. Johnson Biography". Biography.com. October 10, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Google Docs - create and edit documents online, for free". docs.google.com. Retrieved 2018-03-13.[dead link]
- ↑ Local hero, NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson dies at 101
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