RF in Film: “Hidden Figures” and the Power of Euler’s Method
RF in Film: “Hidden Figures” and the Power of Euler’s Method
Hidden Figures is a testament to the remarkable contributions of a group of Black women to the NASA space program. The movie delves into technicalities, with a particularly fascinating moment (to those with “The Knack,” at least) when one of the main characters, Katherine Johnson, ingeniously applies a centuries-old mathematical technique, Euler’s Method, to solve a complex orbital problem.
In reality, the solutions that she and other team members came up with were far more complex, but they did, indeed, use Euler’s Method. This technique enables the computation of complex curves (such as satellite orbits) in situations where various conditions are constantly changing. You can find the technical details of Euler’s Method here.
As the saying goes, what’s old is new again. Euler’s Method, crafted by the Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler in the 1700s, is a prime example. Despite his lack of knowledge about modern inventions like satellites and radios, his mathematical discoveries continue to be instrumental in various fields today.
If you want to learn more about the foundational mathematical techniques used in RF engineering, check out our foundational post on radio waves, which delves into the basics of radio frequency communication, providing a solid foundation for understanding complex topics like Euler’s Method.
From Spaceflight to GPS: Euler’s Method in Action
Aside from putting astronauts into orbit (and, more importantly, getting them back again), Euler’s Method benefits many other things. A big one that comes to mind is GPS, the Global Positioning System. GPS systems triangulate your position based on the locations of several satellites, each sending information about where they are to your receiver. Check out Explain That Stuff for a detailed explanation of how GPS works.
Want to learn more? You can gain a deeper understanding of GPS technology through our post, “How Does Jamming Simulation Work?” which discusses various methods of simulating jamming in communications and GPS systems, offering insights into the complexities of GPS functionality.
Knowing where the satellites are lets you calculate where you are. There’s a problem: satellite orbits are not firmly fixed. They are influenced by variations in the Earth’s gravity, solar wind, and a host of other factors. Given all those variations, how do the folks who maintain that system calculate the satellite locations? Hmmm, let me think: Maybe we could use Euler’s Method!
Of course, the computation of orbital mechanics is much more complex than just one mathematical method. Still, the basics of orbital computation go way back, as you can see.
The legacy of Katherine Johnson is alive in the engineering field. To learn more about Katherine Johnson’s story, check out these facts about Hidden Figures. Across many engineering disciplines, including RF design, we stand on the shoulders of giants. The foundations laid by geniuses like Euler, Newton, Tesla, Maxwell, and Einstein continue to guide us. As engineers, we owe them a debt of gratitude that we may never fully comprehend.
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Got a project that has you looking for a solution? Let us help. At Radio Design Group, we specialize in applying proven principles to modern RF challenges. With decades of experience, we understand how to shape old answers into innovative solutions—because sometimes, the best way forward is to look back at the giants who got us here. Contact us today to get started!
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