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Katherine Johnson was a pioneering African American mathematician whose calculations were crucial to the success of NASA's early space missions, including the first manned spaceflight by an American, Mercury-Redstone 3. Born in 1918, Johnson faced discrimination but excelled in her studies, eventually joining NASA in 1953. Her precise calculations for orbital trajectories were instrumental in sending astronauts to space. Johnson's work was essential to numerous historic feats, earning her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015. She passed away in 2020, leaving behind a legacy of brilliance and perseverance.