Katherine Johnson What Matters interview

Summary

The speaker reflects on their experience working at NASA during the segregated 1950s. Despite societal segregation, the environment at NASA was focused on research and missions, where they felt little of the racial divide. The speaker recounts their contributions to crucial space missions, including calculating trajectories for astronauts like John Glenn. Glenn personally requested the speaker to verify computer calculations before his mission, showing high trust in their expertise. The speaker discusses the intricate nature of space calculations, such as considering Earth's rotation and the Moon's position, making complex tasks possible.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The world in 1953 was still segregated, but the speaker didn't feel this segregation at NASA due to the focus on research and mission work.
• 🔍 Despite the segregation, the work environment at NASA Langley was collaborative and mission-driven, which minimized the impact of societal issues.
• 🚀 The speaker began working at NASA Langley on airplane calculations before transitioning to space program projects as they emerged.
• 🧠 The speaker pushed for inclusion in important briefings, asking for permission to attend when initially told that 'girls don't usually go.'
• 👩‍🔬 The speaker played a crucial role in calculating the trajectories for NASA's space missions, often performing these calculations by hand.
• 🛰️ John Glenn personally requested that the speaker verify the computer's calculations before his historic flight, showing trust in her expertise.
• 🤝 The relationship between human computation and early electronic computers was one of mutual verification, with more trust placed in human calculations at the time.
• 🌑 The speaker's work involved complex calculations, including understanding the rotation of the Earth and the position of the Moon for space missions.
• 🌟 The speaker remained humble, viewing her important and intricate work as just an assignment that needed to be completed accurately.
• 🌌 The speaker emphasized the importance of precise calculations in ensuring the success of NASA's missions, particularly in safely landing astronauts.

Q & A

What was the workplace environment like at NASA in 1953?

In 1953, NASA was still segregated, but the speaker didn't feel the effects of segregation because everyone was focused on their research and doing their job.

How did the speaker begin attending space program briefings?

The speaker started attending space program briefings by asking for permission, even though women usually didn't attend. She challenged the norm by asking if there was a law preventing her from attending, and when told there wasn't, her boss allowed her to go.

What kind of work did the speaker initially do at NASA?

The speaker initially worked on airplane-related research because NASA was originally focused on aeronautics at the time she joined.

How did the speaker's role evolve when the space program started?

As the space program began, the speaker transitioned into working on space-related tasks, gradually doing more work that required her expertise in geometry and trajectory mapping.

What was the speaker's relationship with well-known NASA figures like John Glenn?

While the speaker did not interact directly with the astronauts, she was trusted by John Glenn, who asked her to verify the computer’s calculations before his first mission.

How did people at NASA during that time view electronic computers versus human calculations?

At that time, there was more trust in human calculations than in electronic computers, and astronauts like John Glenn preferred the reassurance of human verification before trusting the computer’s results.

What was the significance of the speaker's work for John Glenn’s mission?

The speaker computed John Glenn’s trajectory by hand to ensure he would land in the desired location. Glenn specifically requested that she confirm the accuracy of the computer's calculations before he proceeded with the mission.

Did the speaker realize the enormity of her work on space missions?

The speaker treated her work as an assignment and focused on completing it, though she was aware of the complexity and importance, such as considering the Earth's rotation and the Moon's position for accurate space travel.

What factors did the speaker need to account for when calculating space trajectories?

The speaker needed to account for the Earth's rotation and the position of celestial bodies, like the Moon, to ensure spacecraft would reach their intended destinations at the right time.

How did the speaker's work contribute to NASA's success in space exploration?

The speaker played a key role in ensuring the accuracy of trajectory calculations, which were vital for missions like John Glenn's and other space explorations. Her expertise in geometry and manual calculations helped NASA achieve precise results.