Prompted by
the arrest of now ex-astronaut Lisa Nowak, NASA has announced the committee members
who will review the mental and other health services available to astronauts.
The
committee, announced today, will review NASA's current healthcare systems and
medical policies, standards and certifications for astronauts. In April, committee
members are scheduled to travel to the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston to review documents and interview personnel, including astronauts, involved in the
agency's spaceflight program, NASA said.
Chairing
the group of external experts will be Air Force Col. Richard E. Bachmann, who
studies aerospace medicine and has provided medical support to people who work
in extreme environments like that in space.
Nowak, a 43-year-old
mother of three, was arrested on Feb. 5 after allegedly driving 900 miles from
Houston to the Orlando airport, where police say she confronted and
pepper-sprayed Air Force Capt. Colleen Shipman, girlfriend of space shuttle
pilot William Oefelein, whom she viewed as a romantic rival for the astronaut's
affections.
Immediately
following the incident, Nowak was charged with
attempted first-degree murder, attempted kidnapping and three other
criminal acts. The charges were later downgraded and Florida prosecutors have
entered charges for kidnapping. Nowak's lawyers have
formally entered a not guilty plea and the trial is expected to begin on
July 30.
Meanwhile,
the space agency removed Nowak's flight status and in collaboration with the
U.S. Navy, they ousted her from NASA's
astronaut corps. The seeming "breakdown" of an astronaut also spurred the
space agency to look into how they screen astronauts for both mental and
physical health as well as services available to astronauts during their careers.
The other
external members of the newly-formed committee include:
- Air Force
Col. Timothy Sowin, a neuropsychiatrist
- James R.
Fraser, an expert in aerospace medicine from the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA)
- Retired
Navy Capt. Sandra Yerkes, a clinical psychiatrist
- Mark
Bauer, a clinical psychiatrist from the Veteran's Administration
- Elizabeth
Holmes, a clinical psychologist from the U.S. Naval Academy
- James
Bagian, a former NASA astronaut physician and an expert in aerospace
medicine and patient safety from the Veteran's Administration
- Navy
Capt. Paul M. DeLaney, an expert in medical legal matters and medical
privacy legislation
Ellen Baker,
a current NASA astronaut physician, will serve as a consultant to the team. Also,
serving as "ex officio" members will be James M. Duncan, the NASA chief of
Space Medicine at JSC, and Wayne Frazier of NASA's Office of Safety and Mission
Assurance.
In June,
the committee is expected to report their findings to Richard S. Williams,
NASA's chief health and medical officer, who will look over the review and
report the findings to NASA Administrator Michael Griffin.
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