Gladys West: The Hidden Architect of GPS

Gladys West programmed computers for the Navy. Her calculations changed how billions navigate.

While colleagues built weapons, she quietly mapped Earth's shape using satellite data and

algorithms. Every coordinate, every equation from the 1970s-80s, was building something

revolutionary. Her mathematical models became the foundation for GPS technology. Today,

when you check directions or order food delivery, you're using her work.

She got no recognition until 2018. At age 87, she joined the Air Force Hall

of Fame. This brilliant Black mathematician gave us the ability to never get lost.

Gladys West proved transformative innovations often come from the quietest rooms.