Katherine Johnson, Born 1918
mathematician of the us space race
Creola Katherine Johnson (née Coleman; August 26, 1918 – February 24, 2020) was an American mathematician whose calculations of orbital mechanics as a NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Agency) employee were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights. During her 33-year career at NASA and its predecessor, she earned a reputation for mastering complex manual calculations and helped pioneer the use of computers to perform the tasks. Johnson's work included calculating trajectories, launch windows, and emergency return paths for Project Mercury spaceflights, including those for John Glenn, the first American in orbit, and rendezvous paths for the Apollo Lunar Module and command module on flights to the Moon.
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