Narrator: Melba Mouton, an award-winning mathematician,
computer programmer, and African American
trailblazer is being honored with the naming
of a mountain at the Moon's South Pole.
To recognize her contributions to the agency,
NASA proposed the name Mons Mouton
for the lunar landing site and exploration area
for VIPER, its first robotic Moon rover.
In the late 1950's, Mouton became the head
mathematician of a team of human computers
that tracked communication satellites
in Earth's orbit.
She was instrumental in coding computer programs
that calculated spacecraft trajectories
and locations.
Before retiring, she was recognized with
a NASA award for her calculations of
complex mathematical data that contributed
to the successful Apollo 11 Moon landing.
Mons Mouton is a mountain that stretches roughly
2,700 square miles and has an elevation
of more than 19,000 feet.
It's about the height of Denali,
the highest mountain peak in North America.
The lunar landmark can be seen from Earth
with a telescope.
VIPER will embark on a 100 day journey
at Mons Mouton.
The rover will explore the Moon's surface
to help gain a better understanding
of the origin of lunar water as well as
map potential resources, which will help
inform future landing sites under
NASA's Artemis program.
Melba Mouton's legacy lives on at the highest peak
in the lunar South Pole, bringing NASA
a step closer to its goal
for a long-term presence on the Moon.
(Background piano music fades out)