NASA to Review Astronaut Psychological Screening

Space.com ^ | 7 February 2007 | Ker Than

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Didn't see this coming. /sarc

[digger48]

Could Hillary pass this evaluation????

[SteveMcKing]

NASA will put a positive spin on the incident, as a "learning experience" in human behavior.

In fact, if Dan Goldin were still in charge- Nowak would be commanding the very next shuttle flight.

[IronJack]

How many thousands of astronauts has NASA trained and deployed over the decades? Now one goes off her gimbals and the whole program undergoes scrutiny? What does this crime have to do with her profession? If she were a short-order cook, nobody would care.

[Brilliant]

Yeah, of course you look at the perp's screening. But I wonder if the other two participants in this love triangle are going to be punished. Seems like they should be. I can't believe that NASA doesn't have rules against this kind of conduct.

[NewHampshireDuo]

Best chuckle I had today was hearing a newsreader blandly reporting that Nowak (the diaper wearing astronaut) was being fitted with an ankle bracelet in order to track her movements.

[knarf]

OK guys and gals ... put on your tin foil hats ...

We all know and understand that social engineering really exists and is in full tilt boogie.

What if .... what if .... someone could be talked into doing something crazy, just to add one more bit of social engineering into another institution.

So this lady puts on diapers and travels 900 miles and goes through a whole set of whacky things, gets caught and gets a bracelet for her troubles.

I mean ... this has been, and is still being .. talked about all over everyplace including here in FR.

What if ...

OK ... I think I have my hat on too tight.

[hosepipe]

Purging all the Moonbats out of NASA would gut the place..

[reflector3]

Affirmative action and your expense.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Bob Cabana, deputy director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, said psychological support is currently available to all astronauts and NASA employees and dismissed suggestions that astronauts avoid seeking help because it might negatively impact their careers.

Your statement sounds good, Bob. But here we are:

NASA astronaut Lisa Marie Nowak after her Feb. 5,2007 arrest. Credit: AP Photo/Orange County Sheriff's Department

Astronaut Lisa Nowak appears with her attorney Donald Lykkebak, right, before judge Mike Murphy at an Orlando Corrections facility on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2007. Nowak was making a first appearance on attempted kidnapping, attempted vehicle burglary with battery and destruction of evidence and battery charges. Credit: AP Photo/ Redd Huber, Orlando Sentinel, Pool.

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The problem is with people who have problems but can't or won't accept it and seek help.

[bmwcyle]

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

A short order cook isn't generally operating a multi-billion dollar piece machinery that could kill thousands of people if operated improperly.

[IronJack]

And her confrontation with a romantic rival somehow leads you to believe that she is incapable of operating that multi-billion dollar piece of machinery for which she was trained? Or worse, that somehow NASA is at fault for not psychologically screening its astronaut candidates more thoroughly?

[proudofthesouth]

I may be alone in this but I feel sorry for this woman.

EVERYONE has a breaking point. Now I don't know what happened to cause this woman to go over the edge, but something did. Unfortunately it happened in public.

Yes it was good that she didn't meltdown while she was in space.

I hope that she can get her life back together.

[Kirkwood]

"But I wonder if the other two participants in this love triangle are going to be punished. Seems like they should be. I can't believe that NASA doesn't have rules against this kind of conduct."

What did they do?

[pfflier]

Don't forget these astronauts were nearly all high flight time military pilots too, prior to their NASA service. You can bet they were under intense screening and observaton too.

Occasionally one goes off the deep end but compare the percentages to any other occupation and the incidence is low...way low.

[NickatNite2003]

(Ding)
"Calling Dr Bellows!...
Calling Dr Bellows!..."

[IronJack]

Occasionally one goes off the deep end but compare the percentages to any other occupation and the incidence is low...way low.

Exactly. I don't have any problem holding these folks to a high standard of emotional and psychological stability. But nothing within human reach is going to prevent an occasional candidate from slipping the surly bonds of sanity.

[stockpirate]

I can see the updated training program now:

"No stalking, murder is a no, no, take your meds on time".

[StormEye]

"NASA is initiating a review to determine whether changes are required to how astronauts are psychologically analyzed throughout their careers, space agency officials announced Wednesday.."

It's their morals and character that need to be examined.