View Katherine Johnson Nasa Calculations Images. One of several black women taken on by the space agency in the 1950s, she was played in the feature film hidden figures by taraji p henson. Katherine johnson, whose career making vital calculations for nasa was immortalized in the 2016 book and movie hidden figures, has died at 101.

What It Took To Be A Nasa Computer from physicstoday.scitation.org

She was a human computer and the invisible woman of the space race. Despite her tremendous contributions to america's space programs, johnson, a black woman, remained a hidden figure for much of her life. Johnson, whose calculations played a key role in the apollo 11 moon landing, earned nationwide acclaim decades later when her story was told in the book and movie hidden figures.

The human computer is credited with codifying the mathematical principles that remain at the core of space travel to this day.

Nasa mathematician katherine johnson, whose calculations helped get the first americans to space and back safely, died today at the age of 101. Nasa space scientist and mathematician katherine johnson at langley research center in va she said her greatest contribution to space exploration was making the calculations that helped. She was a human computer and the invisible woman of the space race. Nasa announced her death on twitter, saying it was former us presidential candidate hillary clinton also paid tribute to ms johnson on twitter.