Nasa announced a review of the way it screens its staff for psychological problems on Wednesday as the space agency went into damage limitation mode over the arrest of one of its active duty astronauts for the attempted murder of a love rival.
Senior executives went before journalists to present a united front after one of its most trusted employees was discovered to have travelled 1 520km carrying a pellet gun in order to confront a colleague whom she suspected of being a rival for the affections of a fellow astronaut.
The agency said two major reviews had been ordered: the first into the specifics of what Lisa Nowak had allegedly done and whether any indications of her erratic behaviour should have been detected earlier; and the other a general review into Nasa proceedings. The second review would focus on screening of trainee and active duty astronauts for psychological irregularities.
Nowak was on Wednesday removed from active service, which means she will be no longer be assigned to the role of ground communicator for the next space shuttle mission. She was arrested in Orlando, Florida, on Monday and released on bail. – Guardian Unlimited Â