Contribution
At just 28 years old, JoAnn Morgan was the only woman allowed in the firing room at the Kennedy Space Center during liftoff for the Apollo 11 mission. She worked as an instrumentation controller and was chosen to be present in the firing room because she was the best communicator.
With a career at NASA for over 40 years, Morgan worked on a variety of projects in a variety of roles. For Apollo 8, 9, and 10, she protected guidance systems from Russians, who were trying to electronically interfere with the launches. She also developed algorithms for a Mars trajectory, worked in the Vehicle Assembly building, and helped develop the space shuttle launch processing system central data subsystem. She also worked on Project Mercury, the Gemini program, space shuttle missions, the interstellar Voyager probes, and Mars rover missions. She held several leadership positions, including the director of Payload Projects Management, the director of Safety and Mission Assurance, and the director of External Relations and Business Development. Morgan was the first female senior executive of the Kennedy Space Center as the associate deputy director. Through these roles, she inspired other women working there.
With a career at NASA for over 40 years, Morgan worked on a variety of projects in a variety of roles. For Apollo 8, 9, and 10, she protected guidance systems from Russians, who were trying to electronically interfere with the launches. She also developed algorithms for a Mars trajectory, worked in the Vehicle Assembly building, and helped develop the space shuttle launch processing system central data subsystem. She also worked on Project Mercury, the Gemini program, space shuttle missions, the interstellar Voyager probes, and Mars rover missions. She held several leadership positions, including the director of Payload Projects Management, the director of Safety and Mission Assurance, and the director of External Relations and Business Development. Morgan was the first female senior executive of the Kennedy Space Center as the associate deputy director. Through these roles, she inspired other women working there.
JoAnn Morgan as the only woman in the firing room - July 16, 1969. More recently, Morgan said, “I look at that picture of the firing room where I’m the only woman. And I hope all the pictures now that show people working on the missions to the Moon and onto Mars, in rooms like Mission Control or Launch Control or wherever — that there will always be several women. I hope that photos like the ones I’m in don’t exist anymore.”
Experiencing Sexism
When JoAnn Morgan was first hired, her supervisor Jim White had a meeting for everyone except her. According to NASA, White said, “This is a young lady who wants to be an engineer. You’re to treat her like an engineer. But she’s not your buddy. You call her Ms. Hardin. You’re not to be familiar.” A colleague then asked, “Well, can we ask her to make coffee?” and White replied, “No. You don’t ask an engineer to make coffee.” Another time, she was told by a supervisor, as he hit her in the back, that "We don't have women here." Thankfully, other colleagues and supervisors showed their support for her after this incident.
As often the only woman in a room at work, Morgan experienced sexism and harassment. For example, she sometimes received phone calls where the person on the other end objectified her. One time, one of these calls was so disturbing that a coworker asked if there had been a death in her family.
As often the only woman in a room at work, Morgan experienced sexism and harassment. For example, she sometimes received phone calls where the person on the other end objectified her. One time, one of these calls was so disturbing that a coworker asked if there had been a death in her family.
Biography
JoAnn Morgan was born in Huntsville, Alabama. Her intelligence was apparent from a young age. She skipped the first grade, read every book in the library of her elementary school, and loved chemistry and music. Then, in high school she moved to Titusville, Florida. While rockets were frequently launched from the river across from her high school, she never paid them much attention. Then, the launch of the Explorer 1, the US's first satellite, inspired her. When she was just 17, she was an intern at the US Army Ballistic Missile Agency. She applied because the ad said "student" and not "boys."
Morgan then studied mathematics at Jacksonville State University. During the summers, she worked as a University of Florida trainee for the Army at Cape Canaveral, the program that eventually evolved into NASA. The first director of the Kennedy Space Center, Dr. Kurt Debus, recognized her potential and gave her the opportunity to be certified as a Measurement and Instrumentation Engineer and a Data Systems Engineer. She then became a Junior Engineer and was later promoted to a Senior Engineer.
After the Apollo 11 mission, Morgan was the first woman to receive a Sloan Fellowship from NASA. She then earned a Master of Science degree in Management at Stanford and returned to NASA to work in various management positions.
Morgan then studied mathematics at Jacksonville State University. During the summers, she worked as a University of Florida trainee for the Army at Cape Canaveral, the program that eventually evolved into NASA. The first director of the Kennedy Space Center, Dr. Kurt Debus, recognized her potential and gave her the opportunity to be certified as a Measurement and Instrumentation Engineer and a Data Systems Engineer. She then became a Junior Engineer and was later promoted to a Senior Engineer.
After the Apollo 11 mission, Morgan was the first woman to receive a Sloan Fellowship from NASA. She then earned a Master of Science degree in Management at Stanford and returned to NASA to work in various management positions.