Lisa Nowak Becomes Ex-Astronaut
EmailLisa Nowak’s 30-day leave from NASA was supposed to end tomorrow. Instead, this release from the agency:
U.S. Navy Capt. Lisa Nowak’s detail as a NASA astronaut has been terminated, effective March 8, by mutual agreement between NASA and the U.S. Navy.
Nowak, an active duty naval officer, began her detail with NASA following selection as a member of the astronaut class of 1996. She flew one mission, STS-121 in 2006.
NASA requested an end to the detail because the agency lacks the administrative means to deal appropriately with the criminal charges pending against Nowak. Because Nowak is a naval officer on assignment to NASA, rather than a NASA civil servant, she is not subject to administrative action by NASA.
Nowak will receive her next assignment from the U.S. Navy.
NASA’s decision to terminate Nowak’s detail does not reflect any position by NASA on the criminal charges pending in Florida.
Space Station Flies Over Eastern U.S. at Night 
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A sad ending to a sad story. I can’t possibly imagine how it would feel to have to resign from being an astronaut–an ASTRONAUT!–because of a love affair gone wrong. As Puck said, “Lord, what fools these mortals be!”
Posted by: chuck | March 7, 2007, 8:05 pm 8:05 pm
It is all surprising. It seems that Lisa Nowak was more of social engineer than a science engineer. She was able to charm, network, pursue, focus, and socially tool her way to top. Charming her way to be a pilot with such a short stature…
Posted by: Rick | March 8, 2007, 1:47 am 1:47 am
Haas anything been done to the other member of the NASA team — namely Lisa’s love interest, Bill Oelefin? Doesn’t seem right that she is the only one to be dismissed from the program.
Posted by: Jackie | March 19, 2007, 3:24 pm 3:24 pm