Katherine Johnson (1918-2020) was an American mathematician and physicist who worked for NASA during the Space Race era. She played a critical role in the success of NASA's first manned spaceflights, including the historic Apollo 11 mission that landed the first humans on the Moon.
Johnson was born in West Virginia, USA, and displayed exceptional mathematical abilities from a young age. She graduated from high school at the age of 14 and went on to earn a degree in mathematics and French from West Virginia State College.
In 1953, Johnson began working as a "computer" for NASA's predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). She performed complex calculations for aeronautical research, including the design of wings for airplanes and rockets.
Johnson's work on the calculations for NASA's first human spaceflight, Alan Shepard's 1961 mission aboard the Freedom 7 spacecraft, was particularly groundbreaking. Her calculations were so accurate that astronaut John Glenn requested that she personally verify the computer's calculations for his 1962 flight aboard Friendship 7. Johnson's work was also instrumental in the success of the Apollo 11 mission.
Despite facing discrimination and segregation as a Black woman in the predominantly white and male field of science and engineering, Johnson continued to excel in her career. She retired from NASA in 1986 but remained an advocate for science education and women and minorities in STEM fields until her death in 2020 at the age of 101.