Barbara Crawford Johnson

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/barbara-crawford-johnson

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is Barbara Crawford Johnson known for?Pioneering research and development in radiation hardening for aerospace electronics
2. What is the career?Scientist at NASA, contributing to the reliability and longevity of spacecraft systems
3. What did Barbara Crawford Johnson do to help space missions?She studied how space radiation hurts electronics and made them stronger so spacecraft could keep working.
4. Why is radiation hardening important for space?Space has high‑energy particles that can flip bits in computers, causing errors, so making parts resistant keeps them from breaking.

Radiation Hardening: The process of designing and manufacturing electronic components to withstand the damaging effects of ionizing radiation, common in space environments.
Single-Event Upset (SEU): A phenomenon where a single energetic particle strikes a microelectronic device, causing a temporary malfunction or bit flip.
Aerospace Electronics: Electronic systems specifically designed and tested for use in aircraft, spacecraft, and related applications, requiring high reliability and environmental resistance.