For the first time ever, NASA publicly fired a member of its astronaut corps from the service by firing 43-year old navy captain Lisa Nowak over felonies involving attempted kidnapping, burglary and assault charged against her last month.

Nowak, a mother of three, allegedly drove all the way from Houston to Orlando and confronted Colleen Shipman, pepper-spraying the civilian and attempting to kidnap her. Shipman is regarded by Nowak as her romantic rival to Navy Cmdr Bill Oefelein, a space shuttle pilot.

NASA says that under its civil service regulations, the accused may only have been punished with a forced leave, but given the fact that Nowak is a military officer, such regulations do not apply.

Nowak, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, will be reassigned to the Chief of Naval Air Training in Corpus Christi, Texas. What job she will be doing there is yet to be determined. NASA, meanwhile, has said that their decision to dismiss her from her post was not reflective of their belief in her guilt or innocence.

Authorities reported that the lady astronaut drove 900 miles in astronaut diapers to eliminate the need to stop. Found in the vehicle were a knife, a steel mallet, a BB gun and rubber tubing which may or may not have been planned for use in the attempted crime.

We guess love can't fly her to the moon, then.