Transcripts For CSPAN NASA Research Mathematician Katherine

Right behind you, she is right behind you, mr. Harrison. Me the the algorithm . Yes sir. I preferred over euclidean. Erine has had the fortune of having hollywood shine a light on her life. There are people right here in West Virginia who had no idea of what Katherine Johnson did for nasa and the usa. , Hidden Figures cant when the movie, Hidden Figures came out, it showed the world how profound she was in the pages of american history. Katherine was hired as a computer. She came in and to did mathematical equations for nasa. What they did not realize is she was more than the a computer. She was a mathematical genius. That is what Katherine Johnson was. Godspeed, john glenn. Fact, john glenn, who said this computer thing not this actual computer here is theilt important part. He did not ask the mathematicians from m. I. T. He did not ask the mathematicians from stanford or harvard. He asked the brilliant mathematician from West Virginia State University to calculate his trajectory and make sure he got home safe. That says a lot about what katherine meant to the individuals she worked with. They put their lives in her hands. What she meant to nasa was that race ande space Katherine Johnson played a very significant role in that. Townrine is from a small two hours from West Virginia State University. We had the privilege before the rest of the world fell in love with Katherine Johnson, we had the privilege to have her youthful face on our campus at the tender age of 10 because she was unable to go to high school in her hometown because of the hue of her skin. Her family had to pack up and come two hours to West Virginia State University. We had an elementary and high school that was part of the college at the time. A young Katherine Johnson came here and she graduated at the age of 15. Then she entered what was then West Virginia state college, now West Virginia State University. Of left in 1937 at the age 18 and never looked back. When she graduated from West Virginia State University, she went into the field of teaching. She was inspired here and understood the significance of paying it forward. She went into teaching for 13 years. Kacatherine and therine entered nasa while we were living in dual worlds. There was a White America and a black america. She was willing to delicately walk in both worlds. She went to work every day and gave nasa and the astronauts, none of whom look like her, 100 . She said regardless of how i am treated, i will come here and fight to make sure i do the best job possible for my country and for the space race. While at nasa, there were three significant space ventures that katherine played a significant role in. One was alan shepard, who was the first individual that entered into space. Katherine calculated the trajectory for that Space Mission to happen. She played a significant role in john glenn. John glenn has said throughout his life and at the end of his life that he would not venture into space if Katherine Johnson was not checking the calculations on his spaceflight. The actual flight with john glenn where he orbited the earth, Katherine Johnson played a significant role in that. We also know that katherine played a significant role in the moon landing. Those are three pivotal moments that changed space travel and how we in the United States of america see nasa today. I had the pleasure on katherines 99th birthday to be with her at the green briar. How sharpas in all of she still was. We laughed, we joked, we had a great time. She was as radiant and beautiful at 99 then she was when she walked on campus in the early 30s. When i left that 99th birthday, i asked myself, as people learn more and more about katherine sheson, as the university loved so dear, we have to do something to help recognize her and make sure history never forgets how profound she was in helping nasa when the space race. My facultym of together and we started brainstorming. I said, listen, we will place a statue right here on our campus, her alma mater. Eight to nine months when we started planning. The goal was to do it on her 100th birthday. [applause] dr. Katherine coleman goebel johnson, you are no longer and never again hidden. [applause] so, on august 20 5, 2018, we had katherine so, on august 25, 2018, we had Katherine Johnson and supporters on the campus. 2, one 3, [applause] on that day it was beautiful. She was able to be with us. She loved the statue. Her family was in. It was a crystallizing moment that Katherine Johnson regardless of what she does from here on out, she will be part of West Virginia State University forever. Inspiring story is people all around the world. In fact, it is said that katherine liked to to count everything. When she was younger, she counted the steps to church, rocks in her yard. She counted anything she good get her mind around and her hands on. When we she could yet her mind around and her hands on. When we dedicated this statue to her, i told her there was one thing she could not count and that is the number of people she has inspired. It is my hope that all men and women of all races and economic backdrops will take more time to learn about this incredible american icon. 5, 4, three, 2, 1, zero, and lift off. Travels thetour country exploring the american story. With the support of local cable providers, we take you on a virtual tour of those places key to understanding our nations history. To watch any of our videos, follow us on twitter at cspan cities. Off. Ft today, watch live coverage of the launch of spacex is commercial crew test flight marking the first to of astronauts on american soil and spacecraft since 2011. Our live coverage of the spacex crew dragon launch begins tonight on cspan two with lift. Doug30 p. M. As hurley and bob behnken launch. At 11 15 am on cspan2, all day live coverage of the spacex crew dragon as it docs with the International Space station, then the opening of the hatch between the two space vehicles. , online onon cspan2 cspan. Org or listen on the free cspan radio app. The u. S. House returns today and tomorrow for legislative business and to vote on the reauthorization of the pfizer bill. It will be the first time the. Ouse uses fisa bill it will be the first time the house uses remote voting. The fisa bill has been amended by the senate and now requires house action. Changes will be made to the ppp program and they will attempt to override a resolution vetoed by President Trump on student loan forgiveness. Watch on demand any time on cspan. Org and this and on the go with the free cspan radio app. Next, nasa administrator, Kennedy Space Center Director and other nasa officials whole hold a countdown thetdown briefing ahead of launch. Bob behnken and doug hurley are set to launch from Kennedy Space center aboard the spacex crew dragon spacecraft. Hello. I am of the dust from the nasa office of communications and thank you for joining us i am from the nasa office of communications and thank you for joining us. We have moved to this press conference indoors. The weather has improved and right now we have 60 chance of favorable weather for launch. Much about lot the launch from our guests. Have the nasa administrator, the commercial crew