Additional Coverage:
- NASA astronaut’s estranged wife pleads guilty to falsely alleging first crime committed in space (foxnews.com)
Woman Pleads Guilty to Falsely Accusing Astronaut Ex-Wife of “Space Crime”
A Texas woman has pleaded guilty to making false statements to federal authorities, stemming from her claims that her estranged astronaut wife committed the first-ever “crime in space.” Summer Worden, 43, now faces a potential prison sentence of up to five years and a hefty fine for lying about her ex-spouse, NASA astronaut Anne McClain.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas confirmed that Worden admitted to fabricating allegations in July 2019, asserting that McClain had illegally accessed her bank account from the International Space Station.
However, investigators uncovered that Worden had opened the account in April 2018, and both parties had legitimate access until Worden changed the login credentials in January 2019. Furthermore, evidence showed Worden had granted McClain access to her bank records, including login details, since at least 2015.
Worden’s initial sensational claims, which were widely reported as the first alleged crime in outer space, triggered investigations by both the Federal Trade Commission and NASA’s Inspector General.
McClain, a decorated West Point graduate and Iraq War veteran, joined NASA in 2013 and recently commanded the agency’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission on the International Space Station. Worden, described as a decorated intelligence officer in the Air Force, divorced McClain in January 2020.
Worden is scheduled for sentencing on February 12, 2026, and will remain on bond until that time.