Who is Katherine Johnson and what is she known for?

Who is Katherine Johnson and what is she known for?

She figured out the paths for the spacecraft to orbit (go around) Earth and to land on the Moon. NASA used Katherine’s math, and it worked! NASA sent astronauts into orbit around Earth. Later, her math helped send astronauts to the Moon and back.

What are 3 interesting facts about Katherine Johnson?

Katherine Johnson was famous for her work in NASA. Katherine had three children called Joylette, Constance, and Katherine. In 2015, Katherine was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by ex-President Barack Obama for the impact she made on America’s progression as a country.

When was Katherine Johnson born?

Katherine Johnson

How did Katherine Johnson impact history?

Johnson did trajectory analysis for Alan Shepard’s Freedom 7 mission in May 1961, America’s first human spaceflight. At a time when digital computers were relatively new and untested, she famously checked the computer’s math for John Glenn’s historic first orbital spaceflight by an American in February 1962.