Katherine Johnson

Katherine Johnson, a mathematical savant, joined NASA as a "human computer" in the era when computers were still very much flesh and blood, albeit ones capable of calculating trajectories with an accuracy that would make modern CPUs blush. She manually calculated the flight path for America's first space mission, John Glenn's orbital flight, and continued to be indispensable for the Apollo missions, proving that sometimes, the best AI comes equipped with a pencil and a sharp wit.

Born in West Virginia, Johnson was a prodigy who entered high school at 10 and graduated from college at 18. Her career at NASA (and its predecessor, NACA) spanned decades, breaking both racial and gender barriers with every equation she solved and every launch she greenlit with her impeccable arithmetic.

Her story, like those of many unsung heroes, finally gained widespread recognition with the book and film "Hidden Figures." It’s a testament to her quiet brilliance that she was instrumental in getting humans to the moon, yet remained largely out of the spotlight until much later. Apparently, saving astronauts isn't always as glamorous as landing them on the big screen.