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Creola Katherine Johnson (née Coleman; August 26, 1918 – February 24, 2020) was an American mathematician whose calculations of orbital mechanics as a NASA employee were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights.
Jun 20, 2024 · Katherine Johnson, American mathematician who calculated and analyzed the flight paths of many spacecraft during her more than three decades with the U.S. space program. Her work helped send astronauts to the Moon. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015.
Nov 22, 2016 · Born: Aug. 26, 1918. Died: Feb. 24, 2020. Hometown : White Sulphur Springs, WV. Education: B.S., Mathematics and French, West Virginia State College, 1937. Hired by NACA: June 1953. Retired from NASA: 1986. Actress Playing Role in Hidden Figures: Taraji P. Henson. Biography by Margot Lee Shetterly. Being handpicked to be one of three black ...
Oct 10, 2016 · Best Known For: One of NASA's human 'computers,' Katherine Johnson performed the complex calculations that enabled humans to successfully achieve space flight.
Nearly two decades before the Little Rock Nine, Katherine Johnson was chosen as one of three Black students, and the first Black woman, to integrate West Virginia University and pursue graduate studies. She studied math, but soon left to start a family.
NASA Administrator. What first sparked your interest in space and science? In college, Katherine’s math skills drew the attention of a young professor, W.W. Schiefflin Claytor. Katherine credits him with inspiring her to become a research mathematician.
Jun 18, 2024 · NASA mathematician, trailblazer in the quest for racial equality, contributor to our nation’s first triumphs in human spaceflight and champion of STEM education, Katherine G. Johnson stands among NASA’s most inspirational figures.
