In the early days of spaceflight, if NASA needed to plot a rocket’s path or confirm a computer’s calculations, they knew who to ask: Katherine Johnson. ---------- Dooblydoo thanks go to the following Patreon supporters -- we couldn't make SciShow without them! Shout out to Justin Ove, John Szymakowski, Fatima Iqbal, Justin Lentz, David Campos, and Chris Peters. ---------- Like SciShow? Want to help support us, and also get things to put on your walls, cover your torso and hold your liquids? Check out our awesome products over at DFTBA Records: null Or help support us by becoming our patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/scishow ---------- Looking for SciShow elsewhere on the internet? Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/scishow Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/scishow Tumblr: http://scishow.tumblr.com/ Instagram: http://instagram.com/thescishow Sources: http://history.nasa.gov/conghand/traject.htm https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/a-lifetime-of-stem.html#.Val8KMZViko http://www.theknowledgeworld.com/world-of-aerospace/Calculate-Trajectory-Space-Vehicle.htm http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4029/Apollo_11a_Summary.htm http://www.visionaryproject.org/johnsonkatherine/ http://www.braeunig.us/space/orbmech.htm#launch http://www.sunriseseniorliving.com/blog/august-2014/nasa-pioneer-katherine-johnson-turns-96.aspx http://history.nasa.gov/afj/launchwindow/lw1.html#Total https://www.aip.org/sites/default/files/history/files/LessonPlan_JohnsonDardenandWestComputers.pdf http://www.scottcarpenter.com/MA-7%20Description%20and%20Performance%20Analysis.pdf