The Human Computer

The history of the space race and the conquest of the Moon is studded with numerous milestones achieved thanks to thousands of researchers, technicians, engineers, mathematicians and programmers. Many of the people involved worked in the shadows, including a group of mathematicians and programmers known as "human computers". Katherine Johnson (born Coleman; August 26, 1918 - February 24, 2020) led a mathematical team whose work ushered NASA's pioneering feats since the early 1950s, culminating in the landing by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the Moon in 1969. She was also the first woman to sign NASA science papers, a prerogative reserved exclusively for men until then. Her work in the west wing of the Langley Research Center at the helm of the so-called "colored computers", a group of brilliant African-American mathematicians and programmers, was celebrated in the famous 2016 film "Hidden Figures". In this volume we want to explain to the public the scientific content of six scientific articles written by Johnson, accompanying the comments with the scientist's original articles, rewritten and improved. The landing on the Moon, the rescue of the Apollo 13 crew, the successful orbital launch of John Glenn, are just some of the great achievements of Katherine Johnson and the many women who worked behind the scenes of the space race.