Christine Darden, US aeronautical engineer, with a sonic boom test model and measuring probe rake. Darden specialised in research on supersonic flight and sonic booms. She started work at NASA at the Langley Research Center in 1967. Her first job was as a data analyst, where she automated some of the processes by writing computer programs. She was promoted to the position of aeronautical engineer in 1973. She was awarded her doctorate in 1983. By 1989, she was the leader of the Sonic Boom Team. Photographed on 11 April 1978, at NASA's Langley Research Center.