NASA Fires Jealous Astronaut

According to the Associated Press, Astronaut Lisa Nowak was fired from NASA today (Wednesday) a month after she was charged with trying to kidnap a woman she regarded as her romantic rival for the affections of a space shuttle pilot.

NASA says this decision does not reflect their belief in Nowak's guilt or innocence but that they "lacked an administrative system" to handle the allegations because Nowak is a naval officer on assignment to NASA, rather than a NASA civil servant:

If Nowak were a civil servant, NASA would have the choice of placing her on administrative leave, leave without pay or indefinite suspension until the charges are resolved, said NASA spokesman James Hartsfield in Houston. But because she is an officer, those options are not available.

Nowak, a Navy captain, instead will return to the military.

She will be assigned to the staff at the Chief of Naval Air Training in Corpus Christi, Texas, starting in two weeks, Navy Cmdr. Lydia Robertson said. Robertson said she didn't know what specific job Nowak would be doing..."

[source]