NASA to review screening
NASA announced Wednesday a review of its screening process following the arrest of astronaut Lisa Marie Nowak this week in Florida on charges of assault and attempted murder.
Under the space agency’s current recruitment process, astronaut candidates are given a battery of behavioral tests and are interviewed by both a psychologist and a psychiatrist prior to selection. Only 0.7 percent of candidates are selected.
The results of these interviews can be used to determine whether a given candidate is eligible for short or long-duration flights. After selection, there are no scheduled follow-up examinations by mental health experts.
NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale said at a news conference that the vast majority of astronauts have done their jobs and behaved in a highly professional way.
But the arrest of Nowak, who Orlando police said tried to kidnap and murder a female rival in a love triangle, has prompted the agency “to see if there’s something we missed along the way,” Dale said.
“We have a very good track record; our astronauts are stellar performers,” she said.
Space agency officials said they believed this was the first time an active-duty astronaut had been arrested on felony charges.
NASA also announced that it intends to review its monitoring and treatment options for career astronauts, who endure unusual mental and physical stresses during training and lengthy spaceflights in cramped quarters.
Currently, counseling is available to troubled astronauts, just as it is available to other Johnson Space Center employees, said Bob Cabana, the deputy director of Johnson Space Center. He said an annual medical evaluation is also given to each astronaut.
NASA has conducted a study of astronaut health problems for 20 years, involving both retired and active-duty personnel. But the goal is to study the long-term effects of space flight, not specifically mental health problems.
The reviews, ordered by NASA Administrator Michael Griffin, were announced at a news conference held simultaneously at NASA headquarters in Washington and Johnson Space Center in Houston, home of the manned space program.
The briefings coincided with Nowak’s return to Houston on a commercial flight from Orlando, following her release from jail Tuesday. Nowak, a 43-year-old Navy captain, underwent a medical evaluation Wednesday morning at Johnson Space Center, NASA officials said.
Nowak, a married mother of three who was part of a shuttle mission in July to the International Space Station, was arrested early Monday morning at the Orlando International Airport.
Police said she had left Houston over the weekend and drove nearly 1,000 miles to Orlando to meet a flight carrying Air Force Capt. Colleen Shipman.
Nowak allegedly followed Shipman to her car, then shot pepper spray through the window. Shipman managed to drive off and report the attack.
Police found a BB gun, a 4-inch folding knife, rubber tubing and garbage bags in a black duffel bag belonging to Nowak. She told police she only wanted to frighten Shipman into talking with her about their mutual interest in Navy Cmdr. William Oefelein, a divorced father of two who is also an astronaut.