NASA Dumps Deranged Astronaut

Relationship survives bizarre confrontation by Lisa Nowak

(NEWSER) - A bizarre confrontation with a crazed astronaut wasn't enough to end Colleen Shipman's relationship with former astronaut William Oefelein: The Beaver County Times reports the couple will wed next summer. Their relationship became national news 2 years ago when Oefelein's ex, fellow astronaut Lisa Nowak, drove 900 miles from Houston to Orlando to confront Shipman, spraying her with pepper spray, according to the police report. More»

'A giant leap forward for tinmankind'

(NEWSER) - International Space Station astronauts won't need to worry about the newest crew member hogging the oxygen or clogging the toilet. Robonaut 2 will become the first humanoid robot in space when he heads to the station this week on the space shuttle Discovery's final mission, AP reports. "R2" will be put through a series of tests before being put to work helping astronauts with chores inside and outside the station. More»

Mission heads to International Space Station

(AP) - Discovery and seven astronauts rocketed into orbit today on one of NASA's final stockpiling missions to the International Space Station, its liftoff flames bringing an early dawn to the coast with this last scheduled shuttle launch in darkness. The pre-dawn launch helped clinch a record for the most women in space at the same time. More»

Nowak pleads to lesser charges, gets year of probation

(NEWSER) - Ex-astronaut Lisa Nowak will serve a year of probation for the bizarre attack on a romantic rival in 2007. Nowak pleaded guilty to lesser charges of misdemeanor battery and burglary of an automobile. She drove 1,000 miles from Houston to Orlando, famously telling police that she wore a diaper en route, and attacked Colleen Shipman with pepper spray in an airport parking lot. Shipman got away. More»

(AP) - Two astronauts who were teaching math and science to middle school students just 5 years ago went on a spacewalk together today, their path cleared of dangerous orbiting junk that had threatened the space station and shuttle. It's the first time two former schoolteachers have been on a spacewalk together, and is the third and final spacewalk for shuttle Discovery's mission. More»