This is no surprise: NASA has fired Lisa Nowak. Or, as this somewhat more detailed article more politely phrases it, she has been “pulled… from her spaceflyer detail in a mutual agreement with Naval authorities.” (Nowak is a captain in the U.S. Navy who has been on assignment to NASA as an astronaut.)

NASA’s spokesperson was quick to point out that this action was “not a reflection of NASA’s belief in Nowak’s innocence or guilt,” but was done simply “because the agency lacks the administrative means to deal appropriately with the criminal charges facing Nowak.”

I imagine the agency was also eager to distance itself from this whole situation, too, before the dirt starts flying in the courtroom. But maybe I’m just cynical…