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NASA to Review Astronaut Psychological Screening
Space.com ^ | 7 February 2007 | Ker Than

Posted on 02/07/2007 6:10:05 PM PST by Excuse_My_Bellicosity

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.

A separate review will also assess whether changes are needed to existing psychological screening procedures for new astronauts.

The reviews were prompted by the arrest of current NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak earlier this week on charges of the attempted murder of a romantic rival for the affections another astronaut.

The reviews will address whether “any modifications would be advisable to ensure that our astronauts have the level of psychological and medical care and attention they need,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale.

The reviews, Dale said, will address the questions of:

* When should astronauts be required to undergo psychological screening? * What manner and how often during an astronauts career should they be evaluated? * Were there any indications from Nowak’s interaction with astronauts and NASA employees that might have suggested something was wrong prior to Monday’s arrest?

The review will involve medical officers outside of NASA and will draw partly upon the results of a study that has been ongoing for 20 years within the agency that track the health of both active duty and retired astronauts, said Richard Williams, NASA chief medical officer at the space agency’s Washington, D.C. headquarters.

“All aspects of medical care and behavioral health care, including potential long term effect of spaceflight, will be of interest and will be addressed by the review group,” Williams said.

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.

“We know if somebody needs help, there are services available and there’s no stigma to it,” Cabana said. “It doesn’t prevent anybody from future space flight assignments or anything else.”


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events
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Didn't see this coming. /sarc
1 posted on 02/07/2007 6:10:07 PM PST by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity

Could Hillary pass this evaluation????


2 posted on 02/07/2007 6:14:52 PM PST by digger48
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity

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.


3 posted on 02/07/2007 6:15:33 PM PST by SteveMcKing
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity

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.


4 posted on 02/07/2007 6:16:56 PM PST by IronJack (=)
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity

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.


5 posted on 02/07/2007 6:19:04 PM PST by Brilliant
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity

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.


6 posted on 02/07/2007 6:21:40 PM PST by NewHampshireDuo
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity
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.

7 posted on 02/07/2007 6:22:37 PM PST by knarf (Islamists kill each other ... News wall-to-wall, 24/7 .. don't touch that dial.)
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity

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


8 posted on 02/07/2007 6:25:04 PM PST by hosepipe (CAUTION: This propaganda is laced with hyperbole....)
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To: digger48

Affirmative action and your expense.


9 posted on 02/07/2007 6:25:43 PM PST by reflector3
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To: All
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.


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

10 posted on 02/07/2007 6:27:23 PM PST by Excuse_My_Bellicosity (Liberalism is a social disease.)
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To: reflector3

11 posted on 02/07/2007 6:28:05 PM PST by bmwcyle (If no one buys illegal drugs, we win the war on drugs)
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To: IronJack

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


12 posted on 02/07/2007 6:29:56 PM PST by Excuse_My_Bellicosity (Liberalism is a social disease.)
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity

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?


13 posted on 02/07/2007 6:32:20 PM PST by IronJack (=)
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity; All

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.


14 posted on 02/07/2007 6:33:16 PM PST by proudofthesouth (Mao said that power comes at the point of a rifle; I say FREEDOM does.)
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To: Brilliant

"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?


15 posted on 02/07/2007 6:39:47 PM PST by Kirkwood
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To: IronJack
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.

16 posted on 02/07/2007 6:40:50 PM PST by pfflier
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity


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


17 posted on 02/07/2007 6:48:24 PM PST by NickatNite2003 (From the Man from Hope" to the wife who snarls "Abandon All Hope!")
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To: pfflier
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.

18 posted on 02/07/2007 6:52:52 PM PST by IronJack (=)
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity

I can see the updated training program now:

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


19 posted on 02/07/2007 7:03:28 PM PST by stockpirate (John Kerry & FBI files ==> http://www.freerepublic.com/~stockpirate/)
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity
"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.

20 posted on 02/07/2007 7:05:57 PM PST by StormEye
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