Uploaded December 2016 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson played an integral role in the early days of America's space program. With a slide rule and a pencil, Johnson was responsible for calculating orbital trajectories of numerous space flights, including Alan Shepard's Freedom 7, the first American in space, and the Apollo 11 flight to the moon. Her brilliance and perseverance, told in the movie "Hidden Figures," still resonate with employees at NASA's Ames Research Center today. Learn more: nasa.gov/modernfigures
NASA Ames Research Center is located in the heart of California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science and technology.
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NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson played an integral role in the early days of America's space program. With a slide rule and a pencil, Johnson was responsible for calculating orbital trajectories of numerous space flights, including Alan Shepard's Freedom 7, the first American in space, and the Apollo 11 flight to the moon. Her brilliance and perseverance, told in the movie "Hidden Figures," still resonate with employees at NASA's Ames Research Center today. Learn more: nasa.gov/modernfigures
NASA Ames Research Center is located in the heart of California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science and technology.
facebook.com/nasaames
twitter.com/NASAAmes
instagram.com/nasaames
