The Northrop Grumman space station supply ship – named SS Katherine Johnson in honor of the late mathematician whose work inspired the film “Hidden Figures” – was launched into orbit on Saturday.
Saturday marked 59 years since the historic launch of John Glenn, in which Johnson provided calculations as part of NASA’s computer base. Johnson, along with other black women, worked at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, processing data that played a major role in several historic manned space missions, The Associated Press reported.
“Ms. Johnson was selected for the handwritten calculations that helped launch the first Americans into space, as well as for her accomplishments in breaking the glass ceiling after the glass ceiling as a black woman,” said Vice President Northrop Grumman. Frank DeMauro, according to AP.
DeMauro also suggested that viewers release “Hidden Figures” to learn more about Johnson’s contributions after Saturday’s release.
Johnson died in February last year at the age of 101.
The four-ton capsule, which Northrop Grumman launched for NASA, will deliver food to astronauts, as well as nearly 120,000 roundworms for a muscle experiment and computer equipment for data processing, the AP reported.
Saturday’s launch marked the 15th stage of Northrop Grumman’s supply to NASA.