![]() These women were trailblazers at a time when most technical fields were dominated by white men. This image from 1953, five years before the launch of Explorer 1, shows some of those women on the campus of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). These women’s calculations helped the U.S. In the earliest days of space exploration, most calculations for early space missions were done by “human computers,” and most of these computers were women. Rocket Girls and the Advent of the Space Age On Women’s Equality Day, we celebrate women at NASA who have broken barriers, challenged stereotypes and paved the way for future generations. The suffragists who fought hard for a woman’s right to vote opened up doors for trailblazers who have helped shape our story of spaceflight, research and discovery. On this day in 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment was signed into law and American women were granted the constitutional right to vote. NASA space science Hidden Figures Katherine Johnson Women in space women in stem inspirational women inspiration OTD Legend fallen hero STEM apollo MoonĪugust 26 is celebrated in the United States as Women’s Equality Day. Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: May she rest in peace, and may her powerful legacy inspire generations to come! What does Katherine Johnson’s legacy mean to you? Share in the comments. And there will always, always be mathematics.” - Katherine Johnson 1918 -2020 Some things will drop out of the public eye and will go away, but there will always be science, engineering and technology. No longer a Hidden Figure, her bravery and commitment to excellence leaves an eternal legacy for us all. With slide rules and pencils, Katherine Johnson’s brilliant mind helped launch our nation into space. As a mathematician, her calculations proved critical to our early successes in space travel. ![]() Once a “human computer”, she famously calculated the flight trajectory for Alan Shepard, the first American in space.Īnd when we began to use electronic computers for calculations, astronaut John Glenn said that he’d trust the computers only after Johnson personally checked the math.Īs a girl, Katherine Johnson counted everything. She passed away at 101 years old.Īn America hero, Johnson’s legacy of excellence broke down racial and social barriers while helping get our space agency off the ground. We’re saddened by the passing of celebrated #HiddenFigures mathematician Katherine Johnson. Tonight, count the stars and remember a trailblazer.
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