Silence From The 9th Floor
Editor’s note: It has been 24 hours since the Lisa Nowak story broke. NASA management knew about it some time before it became public knowledge. Yet, with the exception of some brief comments from JSC PAO and briefer comments from astronaut Steve Lindsey, the agency is seemingly incapable of releasing an official statement. As such, the media are in complete control of this story and are running away with it at a frantic pace. If NASA does not exert some decisive leadership and say something soon, they will never regain any sort of influence on this issue and it will be defined by the likes of Fox, late night TV, and bloggers.
Editor’s update: After taking 24 hours to figure out what to say, this statement was finally released just after 6:00 pm EST. I am certain that a dozen lawyers poured over it all day. Indeed, if they had more time, I am certain they could have made it even shorter! Curiously, although terse and measured, the words spoken by Steve Lindsey earlier today were much more personal.
The following is a statement from Michael Coats, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, regarding the status of astronaut Lisa Nowak.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic event. The charges against Lisa Nowak are serious ones that must be decided by the judicial system. She is officially on 30-day leave and has been removed from flight status and all mission-related activities. We will continue to monitor developments in the case.”
Editor’s note: Was is strangely absent from all of this is the fact that there is a victim in this sad saga – and it is not Lisa Nowak. Rather, it is the woman who was sprayed in the face with pepper spray – and stalked (so she alleges) for more than 2 months.