![]() ![]() Johnson'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 job 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. On February 24, 2020, Katherine Johnson passed away at age 101. ![]()
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