11/8/2022 0 Comments Katherine johnson nasa missionsJohnson's work-the math that sent astronauts to the moon-and her outstanding achievements despite racism and sexism will continue to inspire generations to come. She said, "Even with all the restrictions and biases against recognizing her potential to contribute to the mission, that she became invaluable.One has to wonder how much more she might have been able to achieve if the path to becoming an aerospace engineer had really been open to her. Margaret Weitekamp, curator and chair of the Space History Department at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, spoke with Smithsonian magazine about Johnson's legacy. Image Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, gift of Annie Leibovitz, © Annie Leibovitz In 2015, President Barack Obama awarded Johnson the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Johnson was responsible for key calculations that helped ensure the success of NASA programs, including the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo projects.įor her computations on America's first human spaceflight project, Freedom 7, Johnson became the first African American woman computer to have her name on a technical paper issued by NASA's Langley Research Center. Computers did mathematical calculations for aerodynamicists so that they could focus on science. Johnson joined West Computing, a segregated unit of African American women "computers" (then a job title). In 1953, she started work at NASA's precursor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. Johnson was one of the first African American graduate students at West Virginia University. #Katherine johnson nasa missions movieShe and her colleagues inspired Margot Lee Shetterly's book, Hidden Figures, and the movie of the same name. In 1961, Johnson calculated the flight path for America's first astronaut launched into space. In a 2016 video NASA stated, “Her calculations proved as critical to the success of the Apollo Moon landing program and the start of the Space Shuttle program, as they did to those first steps on the country’s journey into space.On February 24, 2020, Katherine Johnson passed away at age 101. Johnson was included on the BBC’s list of 100 Women of influence worldwide in 2016. #Katherine johnson nasa missions verificationNASA renamed the Independent Verification and Validation Facility, in Fairmont, West Virginia, to the Katherine Johnson Independent Verification and Validation Facility on February 22, 2019. Johnson also received a Silver Snoopy award often called the astronaut’s award, NASA stated it is given to those “who have made outstanding contributions to flight safety and mission success”. President Barack Obama presented her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of 17 Americans so honored on November 24, 2015. Johnson was named West Virginia State College Outstanding Alumnus of the Year in 1999. Her social influence as a pioneer in space science and computing is demonstrated by the honors she received and her status as a role model for a life in science. Johnson working as a “computer” at NASA in 1966 Awards and Honors When the mission was aborted, her work on backup procedures and charts helped set a safe path for the crew’s return to Earth, creating a one-star observation system that would allow astronauts to determine their location with accuracy. In 1970, Johnson worked on the Apollo 13 Moon mission. She also helped to calculate the trajectory for the 1969 Apollo 11 flight to the Moon. Her work also helped to ensure that Alan Shepard’s Freedom 7 Mercury capsule would be found quickly after landing, using the accurate trajectory that had been established. When NASA used electronic computers for the first time to calculate John Glenn’s orbit around Earth, officials called on Johnson to verify the computer’s numbers Glenn had asked for her specifically and had refused to fly unless Johnson verified the calculations. She plotted backup navigation charts for astronauts in case of electronic failures. She also calculated the launch window for his 1961 Mercury mission. She calculated the trajectory for the space flight of Alan Shepard, the first American in space. Photo credits: NASA Her Important contributionsįrom 1958 until her retirement in 1986, Johnson worked as an aerospace technologist, moving during her career to the Spacecraft Controls Branch.
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