The women — played by Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe — were responsible for critical computing and mathematics work that helped to launch Glenn into orbit.
Jackson, Vaughan, and Johnson made critical calculations for the 1962 mission, which placed the US as a major contender in the space race. The film is based on the book by Margot Lee Shetterly and addresses racial segregation and gender barriers in STEM (and throughout American life) during the 1960s.
The movie ends after Glenn's launch, but the three women continued their work with NASA through the Apollo missions. Johnson went on to calculate the trajectory for the Apollo 11 flight and compute backup navigational charts for the astronauts to use if electronics failed (which they almost did). Her research later ensured the safe return of the Apollo 13 crew after the explosion that sidelined their mission.
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