Photo: Instagram
There isn't enough space for these two.
By Rebecca Jane Stokes — Written on Aug 26, 2019
To me, one of the most appealing things about space travel is leaving your ordinary "earthly" problems behind. Instead of worrying about your boyfriend or your bills, you're thinking about the universe! What better way to cure to the rigors of daily life could there possibly be, right? Well, unfortunately for some astronauts, out of sight doesn't necessarily equal out of mind. Who is Anne McClain? She's a NASA astronaut who could be accused of committing the first crime in space! Here's what we know about her and what she is accused of doing by her ex-wife.
1. Meet Anne McClain
NASA astronaut Anne McClain is accused of committing the first-ever "space crime" by none other than her own soon-to-be ex-wife, former Air Force intelligence officer, Summer Worden. You see, according to Summer, Anne illegally looked at Summer's bank account while she was in space aboard the International Space Station. Anne, on the other hand, says that this story is pure hogwash and that this accusation is just one in a string that has plagued both their divorce and custody proceedings. Summer, 44, first made the claims against her former spouse to both the FTC and NASA's Office of Inspector General, accusing her of identity theft in addition to hacking her back account.
2. Summer's First Suspicions
In a report published by The New York Times, Summer shared that it took her a little while to figure out that something wasn't right. She claims that she became aware that Anne had information about her financial habits that there was no way she could have access to legally. Being a smart woman, Summer checked to see what computers were used to access her bank account lately, and when she learned that one of those computers was owned by NASA she knew exactly what was going on. “I was pretty appalled that she would go that far. I knew it was not OK,” Summer said.
3. The Implications
Being an astronaut for NASA is a huge achievement, but when Anne McClain joined their ranks, she probably had no idea that the way she'd mark her mark could potentially be by committing the first crime from outer space. Currently, it seems like (for now at least) NASA is staying firmly in her corner. They issued a statement saying, “Lt Col. Anne McClain has an accomplished military career, flew combat missions in Iraq and is one of NASA’s top astronauts. She did a great job on her most recent NASA mission aboard the International Space Station.”
4. The Custody Dispute
Before Summer married Anne, she conceived her son, Briggs, through IVF via surrogate. A year after his birth, she met Anne, and in just under another year the couple was married. Now, Anne is contending that she has rights to Briggs, saying that she was there for his first steps, words and that they have a very close connection. Anne might not be Briggs' bio mom, but she does stand a chance of gaining at least some custody rights, particularly when you factor in the reality of the fact that Summer was once arrested for domestic violence and, according to Anne, she's in the possession of a vicious temper and an unhealthy urge to shop.
5. Summer's Got Chops
While Anne might be an astronaut, she's not the only member of the family with an impressive biography. After graduating from UT San Antonio, she worked as an intelligence officer in the United States Air Force, eventually being promoted to a team of officers who tracked the spending of terrorists! In addition to that role, she's also worked at the NSA and has her MBA. In short, while Summer has many bits of her life shared all over the internet, none of those bits indicate that she is bad with money. If anything, they prove she has a capable head on her shoulders!
6. Anne McClain Speaks
Currently, the NASA Office of Inspector General's investigation into the allegations that Summer made against Anne are still underway. While there's no verdict yet issued, that hasn't stopped Anne from speaking out about the charges. “There’s unequivocally no truth to these claims. We’ve been going through a painful, personal separation that’s now unfortunately in the media. I appreciate the outpouring of support and will reserve comment until after the investigation. I have total confidence in the IG process," tweeted Anne when the news first broke.
Rebecca Jane Stokes is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York with her cats, Batman and Margot. She's an experienced generalist with a passion for lifestyle, geek news, pop culture, and true crime.