Gladys West, Mathematician Who Contributed to GPS, Dies at 95

Gladys West, known for her mathematical work that contributed to the development of GPS, died on January 17, 2026, at the age of 95. Her family announced she passed away peacefully while surrounded by relatives and friends.

Born on October 27, 1930, in Sutherland, Dinwiddie County, Virginia, West pursued higher education in mathematics, earning both bachelor's and master's degrees from Virginia State University. She later completed a PhD in Public Administration from Virginia Tech in 2000.

West began her career with the U.S. Navy in 1956 at the Naval Proving Ground in Dahlgren, Virginia. She was among the first African American women to be employed at the facility, where she worked for 42 years before retiring in 1998.

During her tenure, West developed mathematical models of the Earth's shape using satellite altimeter data. Her involvement in the Geosat and Seasat projects provided foundational work for what would become GPS technology. She also served as project manager for the Seasat radar altimetry data processing project, which was one of the first efforts to remotely sense Earth's oceans using satellites.

What the numbers show

• Born in 1930 and died in 2026, West lived to age 95
• She worked at the naval facility for 42 years, starting in 1956
• She was inducted into the Air Force Hall of Fame in 2018

West's contributions to satellite data analysis and geodesy were recognized later in her career. In 2018, she was inducted into the United States Air Force Hall of Fame, specifically the Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame.

She was often identified as a “hidden figure” in the history of GPS, with her contributions being overlooked for many years. Despite her involvement in the technology, West said she preferred using paper maps and relied on GPS only minimally.

Her career included leadership roles, such as managing the Seasat radar altimetry data processing project. This work supported advancements in remote sensing and mapping of the Earth's oceans.

West's legacy remains connected to her work in mathematics and satellite geodesy, which played a part in the development of navigation systems used around the world. Her achievements have been recognized by multiple institutions in recent years.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.