NASA fires astronaut

CAPE CANAVERAL – Astronaut Lisa Nowak was fired from NASA on Wednesday, a month after she was charged with trying to kidnap a woman she saw as her rival for the affections of a space shuttle pilot.

NASA officials said Nowak’s dismissal did not reflect the space agency’s belief in her guilt or innocence. It marked the first time NASA has publicly fired an astronaut, according to space historian Roger Launius of the Smithsonian Institution.She is also the first active astronaut to be charged with a felony, he said.Nowak did not respond to a call to her home seeking comment, and a spokeswoman for her attorney said she did not have any immediate comment.Nowak, a mother of three, is accused of confronting Colleen Shipman, the woman who had become the girlfriend of Navy Commander Bill Oefelein, after a 1 448-kilometre drive while wearing an astronaut diaper so that she would not have to stop.She allegedly pepper-sprayed Shipman.Police found a pellet gun, a steel mallet and a knife in her car.Oefelein previously had a romantic relationship with Nowak.He remains on active duty while working for NASA.Nowak, 43, pleaded not guilty to attempted kidnapping and burglary with assault.She was released on bail wearing a monitoring device on her ankle.Chief astronaut Steve Lindsey told Nowak late last month she would be fired from the astronaut corps.After her arrest, NASA placed Nowak on a 30-day leave, which was to end Thursday.NASA said it lacked an administrative system to handle the allegations because Nowak is a naval officer on assignment to NASA, rather than a NASA civil servant.If Nowak were a civil servant, NASA would have the choice of placing her on administrative leave, leave without pay or indefinite suspension until the charges are resolved, said NASA spokesman James Hartsfield.But because she is an officer, those options are not available.Nowak, a captain in the Navy, instead will return to the military.She will be assigned to the staff at the Chief of Naval Air Training in Corpus Christi, Texas, starting in two weeks.Nampa-APIt marked the first time NASA has publicly fired an astronaut, according to space historian Roger Launius of the Smithsonian Institution.She is also the first active astronaut to be charged with a felony, he said.Nowak did not respond to a call to her home seeking comment, and a spokeswoman for her attorney said she did not have any immediate comment.Nowak, a mother of three, is accused of confronting Colleen Shipman, the woman who had become the girlfriend of Navy Commander Bill Oefelein, after a 1 448-kilometre drive while wearing an astronaut diaper so that she would not have to stop.She allegedly pepper-sprayed Shipman.Police found a pellet gun, a steel mallet and a knife in her car.Oefelein previously had a romantic relationship with Nowak.He remains on active duty while working for NASA.Nowak, 43, pleaded not guilty to attempted kidnapping and burglary with assault.She was released on bail wearing a monitoring device on her ankle.Chief astronaut Steve Lindsey told Nowak late last month she would be fired from the astronaut corps.After her arrest, NASA placed Nowak on a 30-day leave, which was to end Thursday.NASA said it lacked an administrative system to handle the allegations because Nowak is a naval officer on assignment to NASA, rather than a NASA civil servant.If Nowak were a civil servant, NASA would have the choice of placing her on administrative leave, leave without pay or indefinite suspension until the charges are resolved, said NASA spokesman James Hartsfield.But because she is an officer, those options are not available.Nowak, a captain in the Navy, instead will return to the military.She will be assigned to the staff at the Chief of Naval Air Training in Corpus Christi, Texas, starting in two weeks.Nampa-AP