The U.S. space agency, NASA, has fired astronaut Lisa Nowak, who was charged earlier this month with the attempted kidnapping of a woman she considered a rival for the affections of another astronaut.
NASA announced the termination of her career Wednesday in a statement, saying the space agency lacks the administrative means to deal with criminal charges against Nowak, an active-duty U.S. naval officer who was assigned to work with the space agency.
NASA says Nowak's next assignment will come from the U.S. Navy.
Nowak is free on bond after being charged last week with the attempted kidnapping of Air Force officer Colleen Shipman, as well as with car burglary and battery. Authorities say Nowak last month drove 1,500 kilometers from Houston, Texas to Orlando, Florida to confront Shipman over what she saw as a love triangle with U.S. space shuttle pilot William Oefelein.
Shortly after Nowak was arrested, prosecutors accused her of attempted first-degree murder. But that accusation was later dropped without explanation.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP.
