American astronaut John Herschel Glenn linked as the first individual from the United States to orbit Earth
John Glenn's Historic Space Career and the Role of Katherine Johnson
John Glenn, the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth, announced his retirement in 1995, 35 years after his groundbreaking 1962 space flight. Before his historic journey, Glenn served in two separate battles as a fighter pilot and broke the intercontinental speed record as a test pilot.
Born in 1921, Glenn was just 40 years old during his 1962 flight aboard the Friendship 7 capsule. After his aviation and space career, Glenn served as a senator from Ohio for 24 years, becoming the longest serving senator in Ohio's history.
In 1998, at the age of 77, Glenn made history once again by returning to space aboard the space shuttle Discovery. During this second flight, he conducted many experiments for NASA.
Glenn's 1962 space flight was made possible, in part, by the work of Katherine Johnson, a NASA mathematician. Johnson was known for her mastery of complex manual calculations and her pioneering work in integrating computer technology into trajectory analysis.
Rumours suggest that Johnson rechecked the calculations for Glenn's 1962 launch, ensuring the accuracy and safety of the mission before his launch. Glenn himself famously requested that Johnson personally double-check the computer’s calculations for his orbit, reflecting the high degree of trust NASA placed in her mathematical expertise.
Johnson's contributions were recognised later in life with prestigious honours including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. Her role extended beyond Glenn’s flight, involving calculations for launch windows, emergency return paths, and lunar missions, making her a foundational figure in America’s space program.
Sadly, Glenn passed away at the age of 95, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most important figures in American space exploration. His life and career serve as a testament to the power of human determination and the spirit of exploration that continues to drive us forward.
References:
[1] National Women's History Museum. (n.d.). Katherine Johnson. Retrieved from https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/katherine-johnson
[3] Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. (n.d.). John Glenn. Retrieved from https://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/john-glenn/online/biography/
The aviation industry and science collaborated to propel John Glenn, a renowned aviation pioneer, into space in 1962, a historic event that was made possible by Katherine Johnson's precise calculations. Johnson's groundbreaking work in integrating computer technology into trajectory analysis revolutionized both space-and-astronomy and the transportation industry. Despite his retirement from both aviation and politics, Glenn made a triumphant return to space in 1998, symbolizing the indelible impact of finance and industry on space exploration.
