Katherine Johnson

Born: 1918 in West Virginia

Died: 2020 🙁

Physicist & mathematician who greatly contributed to the US space & aeronautical programs.

Basically worked as a “human computer” (person who checks math calculations) for NASA – her team was responsible for getting Americans to (& back from) space.

Her calculations of rocket trajectories & emergency return paths were so exact that Astronaut John Glenn specifically asked for her, refusing to fly until she had verified.

When Apollo 13 had difficulties in space, she helped it safely return to Earth.

Portrayed in the 2016 film Hidden Figures.

Said: “You are no better than anyone else, and no one is better than you.”