Feb 6 2007
From The Space Library
Florida police released on bail Lisa M. Nowak, a NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy captain. The police had arrested Nowak the day before, after she threatened Colleen M. Shipman, a captain in the U.S. Air Force. Nowak had perceived Shipman as a romantic rival. NASA placed Nowak on 30-day leave and removed her from her mission duties. Nowak had flown her only mission as a crew member on STS-121 in July 2006, aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. NASA spokesperson Nicole Cloutier-Lemasters explained that, according to its past policy, NASA had screened crew members assigned to the ISS, before, during, and after missions, but had not screened Shuttle crews flying for two-week stints. Although Cloutier-Lemasters said that NASA did not plan to conduct an investigation of Nowak, NASA’s Deputy Administrator Shana L. Dale stated that NASA had begun a review of its screening policy. NASA hoped to determine whether it had overlooked indications for concern in Nowak’s case. Dale explained that NASA intended the review process to reveal whether or not astronauts were receiving adequate psychological and medical care and attention.
Mike Schneider and Erin McClam, “Astronaut Charged with Attempted Murder,” Associated Press, 7 February 2007; John Schwartz, “Astronaut’s Arrest Spurs Review of NASA Testing,” New York Times, 8 February 2007.
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