Astronaut charged with attempted kidnapping

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SUMMARY

The forum discussion centers around astronaut Lisa Nowak, who was charged with attempted kidnapping and attempted murder following a bizarre incident involving her romantic rival. Participants express disbelief at her actions, questioning NASA's psychological screening processes for astronauts. The conversation highlights the complexities of human emotions, particularly in high-stress professions like space travel, and suggests that ongoing psychological evaluations should be mandatory for astronauts. The discussion also touches on the public's fascination with the incident and its implications for NASA's reputation.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of NASA's astronaut selection and psychological screening processes.
  • Familiarity with the implications of high-stress environments on mental health.
  • Knowledge of the legal definitions surrounding charges like attempted kidnapping and attempted murder.
  • Awareness of the public perception of astronauts and their responsibilities.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research NASA's psychological evaluation protocols for astronauts.
  • Learn about the effects of stress on mental health in high-pressure careers.
  • Investigate legal precedents for attempted kidnapping and related charges.
  • Explore the societal impact of high-profile criminal cases involving public figures.
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for psychologists, legal professionals, aerospace industry stakeholders, and anyone interested in the intersection of mental health and high-stakes professions.

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ptabor said:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/05/space.love/index.html

Obviously our government was successful in choosing mentally balanced candidates for our astronaut corp.

Good thing they weren't mounting a mission to mars.

I thought the post said Astronuc is arrested, I was like whaaa:smile:

Well it's pretty sad, but love makes fools of us all...
 
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ptabor said:
Obviously our government was successful in choosing mentally balanced candidates for our astronaut corp.

Only 99.7% of the time. (about 320 past and current astronauts, not counting other countries astronauts, civilian passengers, etc)
 
Man, that's intense. Her car was packed with all kinds of props to help with the kidnapping including diapers she was going to force the victim to wear to eliminate the need for rest stops along the way.
 
Obviously something snapped along the way. I guess it proves a point that the right person can turn anyone into a blundering, idiotic common criminal.

How she made it to the rank of Captain is beyond me.

Oh. I just figured it out. Obviously, on her flight to the ISA, she was obviously irradiated by a stray cloud of gamma particles that is slowly turning her into a super villain.
 
Nowak is married with three children
:bugeye: She is married??! And she wants to keep the other woman from a guy with whom she is somehow involved? :eek:

Edit: Apparently she will be charged with attempted murder!

I think she needs some serious psychiatric intervention.

Very sad. :frown:


Schrödinger's Dog said:
I thought the post said Astronuc is arrested, . . .
Yeah. Obviously I will have to make NASA and the rest of the world to change the word "astronaut" in order to avoid any conflict or confusion in the future. For the record - I had nothing to do with this. I don't even know these people. :biggrin:
 
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NASA has rescheduled her for a 2027 flight.
 
some joker put this in wikipedia:
Nowak is married to Richard T. Nowak, and they have three children (a son born in 1992 and twin daughters born in 2001).[2] Her hobbies include reading, piano, kidnapping, gardening, and crossword puzzles.[3] She is a Roman Catholic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Nowak
 
Thats Funny!
 
  • #10
Math Is Hard said:
some joker put this in wikipedia:
Nowak is married to Richard T. Nowak, and they have three children (a son born in 1992 and twin daughters born in 2001).[2] Her hobbies include reading, piano, kidnapping, gardening, and crossword puzzles.[3] She is a Roman Catholic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Nowak
That's just wrong. :smile:

I can see a 'made for cable television' movie coming out soon. What a bizarre turn of events in less than a year!
 
  • #11
Ivan Seeking said:
NASA has rescheduled her for a 2027 flight.
That can't be right - she'd be 63! What are those people thinking - or are they even thinking?

I would imagine that she will get a medical leave or discharge.

Edit:
Nowak is scheduled to be a capcom — capsule communicator — on the next space shuttle mission, STS 117, which is targeted for a March 15 launch date.
I don't think she'll be able to make it.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=2852454&page=1
Nowak and Oefelein did not fly on the same space shuttle mission, but they trained together for 11 days in 2002 at a Canadian army cold-weather survival camp.
:rolleyes:
 
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  • #12
Astronuc said:
Obviously I will have to make NASA and the rest of the world to change the word "astronaut" in order to avoid any conflict or confusion in the future.
The rest of the world already changed to cosmonaut long ago. The word astronaut doesn't really make sense (if ever they do travel to a star I hope they go at night so they don't get burned up). But then cosmonaut isn't specific enough as we are all, in a sense, cosmonauts. If we don't come up with something quick, there's a danger it will become naughtynaut. I suggest "ex-pat".
 
  • #13
Math Is Hard said:
some joker put this in wikipedia:

It just occurred to me; "some joker" did it. :wink:

Whatever you say JokesAreHard.
 
  • #14
Schrödinger's Dog said:
I thought the post said Astronuc is arrested, I was like whaaa:smile:

Well it's pretty sad, but love makes fools of us all...

Now that would be news :smile:

I can't decide what is more Sad, this managed to get on the news, or what the stupid woman did. I guess that the article managed to make the news, at least the woman can say it was a crime of passion, what's the tabloids excuses?
 
  • #15
Astronuc said:
Yeah. Obviously I will have to make NASA and the rest of the world to change the word "astronaut" in order to avoid any conflict or confusion in the future. For the record - I had nothing to do with this. I don't even know these people.
hahaha... Sarcasim from an American.. Someone call the papers, I think we have some *real* news this time :smile:
 
  • #16
Don't you think it makes good news?
 
  • #17
verty said:
Don't you think it makes good news?

Errmm.. Nope, was I not clear enough for you :smile:
 
  • #18
Anttech said:
hahaha... Sarcasim from an American.. Someone call the papers, I think we have some *real* news this time :smile:

Don't be so cynical one of the most cynical and sarcastic persons I ever had the fortune or misfortune to "meet" was from New York or more correctly talk to over the internet phone methods, there you can be sure sarcasm is alive and well:smile:

On the other hand I was online once and making some really obviously false statements and was accused of being a liar and a cheat by an American, so it varies from place to place, but some of those damned Yankees get the humour in sarcasm :wink: they're getting better at it than us, if it isn't bad enough that they steal our great comedians, they're stealing our culture too, and what do we get Starsky and bloody Hutch,24, BattleStar Galictica, House, and an increasing gun culture :wink::biggrin::lol:
 
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  • #19
Anttech said:
Now that would be news :smile:

I can't decide what is more Sad, this managed to get on the news, or what the stupid woman did. I guess that the article managed to make the news, at least the woman can say it was a crime of passion, what's the tabloids excuses?

It certainly calls into question NASA's ability to screen for psychological problems. Since NASA is funded by tax payer dollars, we are not only interested, as the owners we have a right and a need to know.
 
  • #20
Astronuc's been charged with WHAT?!

Oh, my mistake, I just read it wrong. :redface: :biggrin:
 
  • #21
Ivan Seeking said:
It just occurred to me; "some joker" did it. :wink:

Whatever you say JokesAreHard.

heh heh. No, if it was me I would have run in here screaming, "Guys! Guys! Look what I did!" :biggrin:
 
  • #22
It's sad and embarrassing. I wonder who feels worse? Her intended victim or her husband.
 
  • #23
Raise your hand if your ku-ray-zay!

http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/images/medium/06pd1327-m.jpg
me, me...pick me!

-NASA's screen testing for nut jobs.
 
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  • #24
OMG cyrus, I almost spit up my Coke! :smile: :smile: :smile:
 
  • #25
It is certainly a tragedy for her husband and three children. :frown:

NASA's statement -

The following is a statement from Michael Coats, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, regarding the status of astronaut Lisa Nowak.
"We are deeply saddened by this tragic event. The charges against Lisa Nowak are serious ones that must be decided by the judicial system. She is officially on 30-day leave and has been removed from flight status and all mission-related activities. We will continue to monitor developments in the case."
 
  • #26
Ivan Seeking said:
It certainly calls into question NASA's ability to screen for psychological problems.

That was my initial thought when I read about this in the news. But, now I'm wondering when her last thorough check-up was? Could she have suffered something like a very focal stroke or something that didn't show overt symptoms but that has altered her mental status? Maybe she was fine when she went on the mission, but something happened since then to affect her health.
 
  • #27
Mmmmmmmmmm, yeah,...no. I am just going to go with she's crazy.

Wearing an adult diaper..

I don't think you can screen for Jealous lovers syndrome.

They should shoot her into outer space as punishment, or put her in jail for a long long time.
 
  • #28
It certainly calls into question NASA's ability to screen for psychological problems.

Actually, that depends on the position. I wouldn't want to take readouts from the computer throughout a mission, it'd be very boring like working on an assembly line. I would think they would want someone psychologically fit for that position, which would probably be someone who was skilled in that discipline but relatively unthinking otherwise.
 
  • #29
[PLAIN said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Nowak]During[/PLAIN] a search of Nowak's car parked at a nearby motel, the police found a letter written by Nowak in which she proclaimed her love for Oefelein, along with latex gloves, opened packages for both a buck knife and pepper spray, an unused BB cartridge, handwritten directions to Shipman's house, copies of e-mails from Shipman to Oefelein, and diapers.[10] The astronaut explained she had used the latter during the 900 mile drive from her home in Houston, Texas to Orlando so she did not have to stop to urinate (U.S. shuttle astronauts wear diapers during launch and re-entry).


It sounds to me like she used the diapers herself? :confused: :redface: :smile:
 
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  • #30
dontdisturbmycircles said:
It sounds to me like she used the diapers herself? :confused: :redface: :smile:
Yes that it true. As pointed out in various articles - astronauts wear diapers during lift-off (launch) and re-entry - just in case. The body is subjected to significant g-forces.

Apparently Ms. Nowak recently separated from her husband, so it would appear that marital discord had an effect on her state of mind.

It certainly calls into question NASA's ability to screen for psychological problems.
People change. Apparently after being accepted as an astronaut, a process which includes psychological screening/testing, no further psych tests are performed. Rather, one is subsequently evaluated on performance.
 

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