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Katherine Johnson

Mathematician · 1918–2020

Applied mathematics / Spaceflight

Understand trajectories. Check the calculations.

Mathematical methods for spaceflight, developed within the teams at Langley.

Explore contributionsSources and documents

AI-generated conceptual illustration.

1953–1986 · Langley
Research workplace
NACA → NASA
Applied mathematics / Spaceflight

Selected contributions

What she contributed

Katherine Johnson worked on trajectory analysis and checked calculations within the NACA and NASA teams. The contributions below distinguish her own role from the collective achievement. [2]

Calculating an orbital trajectory

Coauthor with T. H. Skopinski · Technical report, 1960

Their report determines the direction at the end of powered flight needed for a satellite to pass over a chosen position on the rotating Earth.

[1] Read the source
Conceptual globe with a gold orbital trajectory, a rotation axis and a marked ground position.
Orbital trajectoryEarth’s rotationGround positionAI-generated conceptual illustration. Not to scale; no measured data.
Method, assumptions and limits

The report uses orbital geometry, first with a spherical rotating Earth, then with corrections for Earth’s oblateness. It includes worked examples. This illustration is not a measured trajectory or a reconstruction of a Mercury flight. [1]

Checking flight calculations

Mercury · 1962

Before John Glenn’s 1962 Mercury flight, she checked the computer calculations, as documented in NASA’s biography.

[2] Read the source

People & collaborations

A collective effort

Coauthors, research teams and institutions have different roles.

T. H. Skopinski

Coauthor · 1960 report [1]

Langley

Research workplace · Langley [2]

NASA

Institution · from 1958 [2]

Milestones in her career

Documented work and biographical milestones.

  1. 1960

    Orbital calculation

    Coauthor with T. H. Skopinski

    [1] Read the source
  2. 1962

    Mercury flight

    Checking calculations

    [2] Read the source
  3. 1986

    Retirement from Langley

    Biographical milestone

    [2] Read the source

Sources and documents

  1. 01

    Determination of Azimuth Angle at Burnout for Placing a Satellite Over a Selected Earth Position

    T. H. Skopinski · Katherine G. Johnson · NASA TN D-233 · 1960

    Original technical report · 1960

  2. 02

    Katherine Johnson · Biography · NASA

    Margot Lee Shetterly · NASA · 2016-11-22

Verified on 2026-09-11

Editorial method

The contribution is checked against the original report; biographical claims are attributed to NASA. Sources, roles and limitations are kept explicit. Illustrations explain concepts and do not constitute experimental evidence.

Profile written and translated with AI from the cited sources. Automated checks; no independent human review claimed. Editorial method