I WONDER - Who Was Katherine Johnson?

Katherine Johnson was a brilliant mathematician who worked for NASA during a time of racial segregation in America. Despite the challenges, she made significant contributions to space exploration, including calculating the trajectory for the first American in space and the 1969 moon landing. Her work was done before the widespread use of computers, showcasing her exceptional skills and leaving a lasting impact on science.

Who was Katherine Johnson?

• A celebrated chemist

• A renowned physicist

• A talented mathematician at NASA

• A famous astronaut

During what period did Katherine Johnson work at NASA?

• During the Great Depression

• During the Industrial Revolution

• During a time of racial segregation

• During the Civil War

How did Katherine Johnson perform her calculations before computers were widely used?

• Using a calculator

• With an abacus

• On a computer

• On paper

What significant space mission did Katherine Johnson contribute to in 1969?

• The first American spacewalk

• The first satellite launch

• The moon landing mission

• The Mars rover mission

What was one of Katherine Johnson's major contributions to NASA?

• Designing spacecraft

• Calculating the trajectory for the first American in space

• Building rockets

• Training astronauts