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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.
Aug 1, 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.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- 4 min
- Katherine Johnson’s knowledge of mathematics was instrumental in the return of the Apollo astronauts from the Moon to Earth.
- In 1939 Johnson was selected to be one of the first three African American students to enroll in a graduate program at West Virginia University. La...
- Katherine Johnson’s maiden name was Coleman. From 1939 to 1956 she was Katherine Goble, having married James Goble. Three years after his death, sh...
Nov 22, 2016 · Learn about the life and achievements of Katherine Johnson, a pioneering mathematician and NASA employee who calculated trajectories for space missions. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 and died in 2020.
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. Her story is depicted in the 2016...
Feb 24, 2020 · Johnson was a pioneering mathematician who calculated the trajectories for many of NASA's early space missions, including the first moon landing. She broke racial and gender barriers and inspired a generation of young people with her love of numbers.
Learn about the remarkable life story of Katherine Johnson, who broke racial barriers as a mathematician at NASA and contributed to the Space Race. Discover her education, family, sorority, community, and legacy.
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Katherine Johnson (1918-2020) was a West Virginia native who became a research mathematician at NASA and calculated the trajectories for many space missions, including John Glenn's orbit of Earth. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Gold Medal, and a NASA facility named after her.