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Gladys West, a mathematician whose decades of painstaking work at the U.S. Naval Weapons Laboratory laid the foundation for the global positioning system (GPS) technology we rely on daily, has died at the age of 95. Her contributions, largely unrecognized for years, brought her late-in-life acclaim as one of the “hidden figures” who quietly revolutionized modern life. West passed away on January 17, 2026, leaving behind a legacy that extends from the depths of Cold War-era calculations to the navigation systems guiding us today.
While the story of GPS development often focuses on the dramatic space race narratives, West’s work was a sustained, methodical effort to create the precise mathematical models necessary for accurate mapping and positioning. Her expertise in geodesic systems – the science of measuring and representing the Earth – proved crucial in developing the algorithms that underpin GPS. Despite her pivotal role, West herself preferred the simplicity of traditional paper maps, once telling The Guardian in 2020, “I’m a doer, a hands-on person. If I can see the road and see where it turns and see where it went, I am more sure.”
Early Life and Breaking Barriers
Born October 27, 1930, in Sutherland, Virginia, Gladys Brown grew up in a rural, segregated community where tobacco sharecropping dominated the landscape. Despite her parents owning their own farm, both too held additional jobs – her father on the railroad and her mother in a tobacco factory – highlighting the economic realities of the time. West’s early education took place in a one-room schoolhouse, a three-mile walk from her home, where she quickly recognized that education was her path to opportunity. She excelled academically, graduating as valedictorian of her high school and earning a scholarship to Virginia State College (now University) in 1952.
West’s career path was significantly shaped by President Dwight Eisenhower’s executive order banning racial discrimination in federal hiring. In 1956, she became the second Black woman hired at the Naval Proving Ground in Dahlgren, Virginia, joining a team of only four African Americans. She began as a computer programmer, a field then in its infancy, and quickly demonstrated her aptitude for complex calculations and systems analysis.
From Pluto’s Orbit to Earth’s Surface
In the 1960s, West played a key role in a project studying the motion of Pluto relative to Neptune. Her systems analysis enabled computers to perform over five billion calculations, utilizing flow-charts and punch cards – a testament to the technological limitations and ingenuity of the era. This work earned her a commendation in 1979. She was subsequently appointed project manager of the Seasat radar altimetric program, which utilized data from the first Earth-orbiting satellite designed to monitor the oceans.
The development of the IBM 7030 “Stretch” computer allowed West to precisely measure the Earth’s undulating surface, accounting for the effects of gravity and tides. This research culminated in her 1986 paper, “Data Processing System Specifications for the Geosat Satellite Radar Altimeter,” a 51-page document that provided the calculations for an accurate geodetic Earth model – a crucial component in the development of GPS.
A Legacy of Quiet Determination
West retired in 1998 and, despite suffering a stroke in 2000, continued her pursuit of knowledge, earning a PhD in public administration from Virginia Tech. Her story remained largely unknown until 2017, when she filled out a brief biography for a sorority reunion. A sorority sister shared her story with a local newspaper, and it quickly gained national attention. Within a year, West was inducted into the U.S. Air Force Space and Missiles Pioneers Hall of Fame, solidifying her place among the innovators who shaped space exploration. She was also recognized by the BBC as one of their 100 Women and, in 2021, received the Prince Philip Medal from the Royal Academy of Engineering.
West authored a biography, It Began With a Dream, published in 2020, detailing her life and career. She often emphasized the importance of hard work and integrity, stating, “Do your best work, work hard … and be a real good person. I’m pretty satisfied that I used myself up.”
Gladys West is survived by her daughter, Carolyn, two sons, David and Michael, and seven grandchildren. Her husband, Ira West, predeceased her in 2024.
The impact of Gladys West’s work continues to shape our world, enabling countless applications from navigation and surveying to emergency response and scientific research. As GPS technology evolves with new generations of satellites and algorithms, her foundational contributions will remain a cornerstone of modern geospatial science. The ongoing development of more precise and accessible location-based services will undoubtedly build upon the legacy she established.
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Disclaimer: This article provides information for general knowledge and informational purposes only, and does not constitute medical or professional advice.
