Unveiling NASA Women in the 1970s: What “Hidden Figures” Gets Right and Wrong

NASA, often perceived as a monolithic entity, is indeed a complex organization comprising several centers with distinct responsibilities. These centers range from the known areas like Mission Control in Houston to other less publicized locations, each with its own unique role in the space exploration journey.

Understanding the Structure of NASA

NASA operates under a decentralized system, with major centers handling specific tasks. For instance, the Kennedy Space Center in Florida is primarily responsible for the preparation and launching of spacecraft. Contrarily, the Johnson Space Center in Houston focuses on spacecraft design, crew training, mission planning, and the monitoring and control of space missions in progress. Another premier center, Langley Research Center, houses the West Area where the mathematicians and engineers known as “computers” carried out significant computations.

Championing Women in Mathematics: The Story of West Area

The Hidden Figures narrative, though inspiring, does not accurately reflect the workplace dynamics in Houston during the 1970s. The term “Hidden Figures” itself alludes to the largely unacknowledged contributions of women mathematicians, such as Katherine Johnson and Dorothy Vaughan, who worked at the Langley Research Center. These women were instrumental in performing extensive mathematical computations that were vital for the Mercury spacecraft.

Back in the 1970s, many computations were still performed manually using pencils and paper or, at best, mechanical calculators. These human "computers" were the predecessors to modern-day electronic computers. While the term 'Hidden Figures' brings to light the crucial roles women played in early computing and space exploration, it's essential to understand that their contributions were made several years before the center in Houston became established in its present form.

Thwarted by Historical Context: The Timing of Groundbreaking Work

Before the Manned Spacecraft Center was even conceptualized as a formal entity, and certainly before it took shape in Houston, the critical work undertaken by the women featured in Hidden Figures had already been completed. The utilization of the term 'computer' to describe these pioneering women is a historical imprint that predates the electronic age, much like the title of the film itself.

The Manned Spacecraft Center, now known as the Johnson Space Center, did not come into existence until 1961, and it was only in 1963 that it started to employ women in meaningful numbers. The crucial research and calculations performed in the 1970s were, in fact, the legacy of the work done by the women in the 1960s.

Women in Houston: Beyond Food Services

The narrative of NASA in the 1970s is abundantly rich in diverse gender roles beyond the “Hidden Figures” story. For example, my aunt, 'Chick,' who married my cousin Bruzzie, worked in Houston not just in the food services division but in Mission Planning and Analysis. This division was one of the few within the center where women were employed in significant numbers, engaging in work directly related to space missions.

By highlighting the broader context, we see a more nuanced and accurate depiction of the roles of women in NASA during the 1970s. The Hidden Figures story, while captivating, does not wholly encapsulate the multifaceted contributions of women across the organization during that era.

Concluding Thoughts

While the book and film Hidden Figures have rightly recognized the groundbreaking achievements of women in mathematics and engineering during NASA's early days, it is crucial to address the contextual inaccuracies when applied to the 1970s. Understanding the specific roles of NASA centers and the timeline of events paints a clearer picture of the significant contributions made by women across the organization during that pivotal period in space exploration history.