Today in 1962, NASA launched the first American orbital spaceflight, with John Glenn as pilot of the Friendship 7.
Synopsis
Hidden Figures is a biographical drama film that follows the true story of three African-American women mathematicians—Katherine Johnson (played by Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (played by Octavia Spencer), and Mary Jackson (played by Janelle Monáe)—who worked at NASA and played pivotal roles in the early years of the U.S. space program. Their contributions were instrumental in launching astronaut John Glenn into orbit during the Space Race era of the 1960s, overcoming racial and gender barriers along the way.
Why Today?
Today marks the anniversary of Mercury-Atlas 6, the space-race mission that saw astronaut John Glenn become the first American to orbit the Earth. This significant event is commemorated in the film Hidden Figures, which sheds light on the crucial behind-the-scenes contributions of African-American women mathematicians at NASA, including Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson. Their efforts and perseverance were integral to the success of missions like Mercury-Atlas 6.