spacetoday.net: NASA releases Oefelein from astronaut corps

Posted: Sun, May 27, 2007, 9:03 AM ET (1303 GMT)
Oefelein, Bill (NASA)

NASA announced Friday that it was removing Bill Oefelein, the astronaut in the love triangle that involved former fellow astronaut Lisa Nowak, from the astronaut corps and returning him to the Navy. Oefelein, a Navy commander, will leave the astronaut corps on June 1 and will likely be assigned by the Navy to its Naval Network Warfare Command, where he will be involved in space operations activities. NASA did not disclose the reasons for releasing Oefelein from the corps, other than that "his detail is no longer required for the purposes for which it was originally granted." Oefelein was involved in relationships with both Nowak and an Air Force officer, Colleen Shipman; Nowak was arrested in Florida in February on attempted kidnapping charges when she confronted Shipman.