Officials Saw No Sign Of Instability

One day after shuttle astronaut Lisa Nowak was charged with attempted murder, officials at NASA held a press conference to announce the agency will review its psychological screening process for astronauts.

"We have humans in space right now," said Johnson Space Center deputy director Robert Cabana. "We need to stay focused on it to be sure we do it right."

NASA stressed it has seen no signs of psychological instability in Nowak (shown at right) throughout her tenure at the space agency. Officials at Kennedy Space Center in Florida and Houston's Johnson Space Center would not comment further on details of Nowak's screenings, citing privacy concerns.

As Aero-News reported Tuesday, Nowak -- a robotics specialist at NASA, who flew on Discovery last year -- was arrested Monday in Orlando, FL on charges of attempted kidnapping, attempted vehicle burglary with battery, destruction of evidence and battery.

Nowak, a married mother of three, allegedly drove 900 miles from Houston to confront Air Force Captain Colleen Shipman, whom she believed a rival for the affections of fellow astronaut Navy Commander William Oefelein. Nowak and Oefelein trained together as first-time shuttle fliers last year, but flew separate missions.

Nowak told police she suspected Shipman was romantically involved with Oefelein and drove to Orlando's airport Monday morning wearing a diaper so she wouldn't have to stop. There, she dressed in a trench coat and wig then waited for Shipman's plane to arrive. Nowak rode the shuttle bus to the parking lot with Shipman who noticed Nowak following her and rushed to her car and locked the doors.

During Wednesday's press conference, Deputy NASA Administrator Shana Dale said Nowak's performance during the Discovery mission was "excellent," according to the Washington Post.

Nowak has been removed from flight status, and placed on 30-day leave... but for the moment at least, she's still a NASA astronaut, with Dale stating Nowak's leave "makes no statement whatsoever on the state of her mental health." Officials would not comment on Nowak's future with the space agency.

Nowak returned to Houston Wednesday morning, free on $10,000 bond. Officials state Oefelein was on "leave in Florida" when the incident occurred.

Regardless of the ultimate outcome of this bizarre case, Nowak carries the dubious distinction of being the first active astronaut to be arrested on a felony charge.

FMI: www.nasa.gov