Katherine Johnson Checks the Numbers
Coming to Wonder People on 15 December 2026.
Before his 1962 Friendship 7 flight, astronaut John Glenn asks brilliant mathematician Katherine Johnson to personally recompute the orbital equations as a critical human check on the new IBM computer. With the eager assistance of two curious children, Lia and Sam, Katherine embarks on an urgent, facility-wide quest for quiet spaces and crucial tools to meticulously verify every number. Through minor challenges and focused work, the trio ensures the calculations are perfect, culminating in the successful mission launch and a lasting legacy celebrated at the very heart of space exploration.
About this story
- Length
- 10 illustrated pages
Who appears
- Katherine Johnson — The brilliant mathematician
- Lia — A curious, observant young helper
- Sam — An energetic, helpful young helper
- John Glenn — The astronaut
What happens on 15 December 2026
This story is finished and scheduled. On 15 December 2026 it opens here in full — every page illustrated — as part of Wonder People. Nothing on this page is a placeholder: the story exists, it has been reviewed, and this is its address.
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