DDrift

Chapter 04 of 5

The Friendship of Trust

The bond between John Glenn and the woman he trusted with his life.

  1. Technological Pivot

    The Rise of the Machine

    By 1962, NASA transitioned from human 'computers' to IBM 7090 mainframes. These massive machines promised speed but lacked a track record of reliability.

  2. Inherent Skepticism

    The Pilot's Fear

    John Glenn, set to be the first American to orbit Earth, was wary of the new digital brains. He knew a single glitch in trajectory could mean a fiery death upon reentry.

  3. A Personal Request

    Get the Girl

    Moments before the Friendship 7 mission, Glenn issued a legendary command: 'Get the girl to check the numbers.' He was referring specifically to Katherine Johnson.

17 more cards in this chapter

Could you answer this?

Why did John Glenn refuse to launch for his historic orbital mission without Katherine Johnson’s input?

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🚀 The Glass Ceiling of Katherine Johnson

  1. 01The Girl Who Counted StarsThe early life of Katherine Johnson and her pre-NASA academic brilliance.
  2. 02West Area ParadoxEntering the world of segregated 'Human Computers' at NACA/NASA.
  3. 03The Power of PersuasionJohnson's fight for a seat at the table in briefing rooms.
  4. 04The Friendship of TrustThe bond between John Glenn and the woman he trusted with his life.
  5. 05The Quiet PioneerReflections on a century of resilience and the legacy of the 'Human Computer'.