Creola Katherine Johnson née Coleman, (White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia, August 26, 1918-Newport News, Virginia, February 24, 2020) was an American physicist, rocket scientist, and mathematician, who contributed to the aeronautics of United States and its space programs.
His calculations of orbital mechanics as an employee of NASA were essential for the success of the first and subsequent manned space flights in his country. During his 35-year career at NASA and its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), he earned a reputation for mastering complex hand calculations and contributed to the pioneering use of computers to accomplish tasks. The space agency highlighted her “historic role as one of the first African-American women to work as a NASA scientist.”
