Hidden Figures - Rethinking the Approach to Orbital Calculations
Katherine Johnson:
The problem is when the capsule moves from an elliptical orbit to a parabolic orbit; There's no mathematical formula for that. Cause we can calculate launch and landing, but without this conversion, the capsule stays in orbit. We can't bring it back home.
Al Harrison:
...Maybe we've been thinking about this all wrong.
Paul Stafford:
And how's that?
Al Harrison:
Maybe it's not new math at all.
Katherine Johnson:
It could be old math: something that looks at the problem numerically and not theoretically. Math is always dependable.
Al Harrison:
For you, it is.
Katherine Johnson: [takes a long look at the formulas, then gets an idea]
Euler's Method.
Paul Stafford:
Euler's Method?
Katherine Johnson:
Yes.
Paul Stafford:
But that's ancient.
Katherine Johnson:
But it works. It works numerically.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Hidden Figures - Anticipation for the IBM Machine
Al Harrison:
Where’s the machine?
Ruth:
Any day now, Mr. Harrison.
Al Harrison:
Any day now. What’s it called? The initials...the letters?
Ruth:
IBM.
Paul Stafford:
International business machine.
Al Harrison:
Space is business?! I need a mathematician.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Hidden Figures - Understanding the Limitations of Redstone Rocket
Paul Stafford:
How did you know the Redstone couldn't support orbital flight? That's classified information; it's top secret.
Katherine Johnson:
Well, it's no secret why the Redstone tests keep failing. It's fine for sub-orbital flight, but it can't handle the weight of the capsule and push it into space. Numbers don't lie.
Al Harrison: [reading the censored test results documents]
And you figured all that out with this? Half of that is redacted.
Katherine Johnson:
Well, what's there tells a story if you read between the lines. The distance from launch to orbit, we know. Redstone mass, we know. Mercury capsule weight, we know. And the speeds are there, and the data.
Al Harrison:
You did the math.
Katherine Johnson:
Yes, sir. I look beyond.
Al Harrison:
And how did you know about the Atlas rocket? That's not math. That data's not here. Like he said, it's classified.
Katherine Johnson:
...I held it up to the light.
Al Harrison:
You held it up to the light?
Katherine Johnson:
Yes, sir.
Al Harrison:
...Well, there it is. "Atlas". What's your name?
Katherine Johnson:
Katherine Gobal.
Al Harrison:
Are you a spy, Katherine?
Katherine Johnson:
Am I what?
Al Harrison:
I said, are you a Russian spy?
Katherine Johnson:
No, sir. I'm not Russian.
Ruth:
She's not Russian, sir.
Al Harrison: [to Stafford]
Alright, then, we have nothing to lose, here. Give her everything she needs to work on Shepherd's trajectories, without redaction. Are we clear on that?
Paul Stafford:
Are we sure about this?
Al Harrison:
What's the issue, Paul? You heard her, she's not a spy.
Paul Stafford:
I–I just don't think it's a good idea.
Al Harrison:
You know what I think is a good idea? Darker ink. I think darker ink is a good idea. Ruth, could you pass that along?
Ruth:
Yes, sir.
Al Harrison:
Thank you, Katherine.
Katherine Johnson: [leaves with Ruth]
Thank you, sir.
Al Harrison: [after Ruth and Katherine leave, looks to Paul]
This interrogation's over.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.