|
Author
|
Topic: Astronaut Jeanette Epps removed from flight
|
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 44622
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 06-22-2018 08:38 AM
   
quote:
Originally posted by p51:
I wonder how smart it was for her career to do the interview...
Jeanette Epps also did an interview with Jill Petzinger of Quartz, where she was asked, "Is NASA cool with you talking about what happened?" This is part of my job. I have to do PR, it’s part of my performance appraisal. I have to get out, I have to train, I have to do outreach — our job is really to inspire people. Even though my story is different, it has to be told and I think it only helps younger people who have never experienced anything harsh to realize that things can happen and how you respond is way more important than what happened. |
issman1
Member Posts: 1066
From: UK
Registered: Apr 2005
|
posted 06-22-2018 05:35 PM
I think a social media campaign ought to be mounted to pressure the NASA management in Houston for Ms. Epps to get an immediate ISS flight assignment.What I find weird is that she says in one of the interviews that despite a decade in the Astronaut Corps, additional training for an EVA was needed. Excuse me for being confused, but haven't ISS crew members routinely trained for unplanned EVAs? This argument seems bogus. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 44622
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 06-22-2018 06:31 PM
As no one but NASA management knows the details, it is impossible to declare anything "bogus" (or justified).It is understandable why people want to speculate, but it really serves little good. NASA is not going to act based on what others speculate is the reason. |
328KF
Member Posts: 1281
From:
Registered: Apr 2008
|
posted 06-22-2018 07:46 PM
Her entire explanation is suspect to me. It wasn't a medical issue, family issue, and the Russians were not responsible. A few cosmonauts even argued against her removal, and the cost of her training and custom equipment is not inconsequential. So she identifies NASA management as making the call. Which leads to the question of why she is even still with the agency? If her management found her unable to perform the mission and removed her in historic fashion, why would they find her fit to fly in the future? It seems more plausible that high-level leadership in Russia had some reason for her not to fly, and that was passed to high-level leadership in the U.S. and down to the Astronaut Office. |
issman1
Member Posts: 1066
From: UK
Registered: Apr 2005
|
posted 06-23-2018 02:45 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
NASA is not going to act based on what others speculate is the reason.
I do not expect them to act unless it snowballs.But NASA PAO did make a big fuss about the fact Ms. Epps would have been the first black astronaut on a long-duration mission. |
cspg
Member Posts: 6228
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
|
posted 06-23-2018 02:58 AM
Since we do not know the reason for her removal, why would anyone sign a petition? |
Skylon
Member Posts: 289
From:
Registered: Sep 2010
|
posted 06-23-2018 01:04 PM
Since the only situation I can think of that was comparable is Mark Lee's removal from STS-98, did anyone get a sense of his public presence after his removal from the flight until his retirement in 2001? NASA clearly took the public position that he was still "eligible" for flight, but the news sources from the time picked up that he was out of favor with management in some way. Here, with Epps there is no sense of that. |
Fra Mauro
Member Posts: 1676
From: Bethpage, N.Y.
Registered: Jul 2002
|
posted 06-24-2018 11:21 AM
Imagine what might have happened if there was social media in the early 70s and Engle replaced Mitchell on Apollo 14? |
mjanovec
Member Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005
|
posted 06-26-2018 02:08 PM
I find it very hard to believe that NASA would pull her from the mission and give no explanation why. Most likely, she was given an explanation (or at least an indication of what the reasons are), but isn't obligated to share that with others. If the reason had to do with her performance, for example, it's not something she would likely want to make public, nor does it serve NASA any good by saying "she wasn't ready to fly."Interestingly, she didn't rule out sexism or racism as a reason for her removal. She kind of talked around that question, but still left it on the table. From a PR standpoint, that can't sit well with NASA management. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 44622
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 06-26-2018 04:23 PM
NASA has never been transparent about its crew assignment decisions, internally or externally. Many astronauts cannot tell you why they were assigned to a particular mission or were passed over for another. Granted, this is a different situation than others, but it would not be out of character for the agency and its management to be vague when it comes to such decisions. |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3448
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
|
posted 10-30-2018 07:48 AM
From SpacePolicyOnline.com: NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps reiterated today that she does not know why she was removed from her mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Epps was training in Russia for the Expedition 56/57 mission that launched in June on Soyuz MS-09 when she was informed that she would not fly after all. She was replaced by Serena Auñón-Chancellor.Epps would have been the first African-American on a long-duration ISS expedition mission. Speaking at a CSIS event this evening, she said her removal was a "management decision" that she does not yet understand and "we are still working through it." Asked if it was racially motivated or if the Russians were involved, she emphasized that her training was going well and her work with the Russians was "very friendly and very warm. … I wouldn't say that the Russians had anything to do with this. … In my opinion I don't think that they did. Whether race played an issue, I don't know what's in the mind of other people, I can't say that, oh, definitely, or anything like that. So I'm not quite sure of the reasons myself. I do see a lot in the media of people speculating, but it is all speculation at this point." She has not been assigned to another mission yet, but is hopeful that's in her future. |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1576
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
|
posted 10-30-2018 09:28 AM
That just doesn't make sense. I have never witnessed or heard of a professional situation where a highly competent and trained professional is suddenly and without explanation pulled of a job they were hired to do. And still have no clue as to why six months later even though they're still employed there.You'd think she'd be entitled to SOME kind of explanation. I for one would demand one. Why would they hide the reason from her, legitimate or bad? There has got to be more to the story. |
ashot
Member Posts: 28
From:
Registered: Mar 2010
|
posted 10-30-2018 10:44 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Delta7:
I have never witnessed or heard of a professional situation where a highly competent and trained professional is suddenly and without explanation pulled of a job they were hired to do.
Mark Lee comes to mind... |
GACspaceguy
Member Posts: 2588
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006
|
posted 10-30-2018 12:23 PM
After 40 years in corporate America, I have seen that many times. Even discussions with individuals years later and they are still unsure why they were removed from their position. |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 3448
From: Toms River, NJ
Registered: Aug 2000
|
posted 10-30-2018 12:42 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Delta7:
...suddenly and without explanation pulled of a job they were hired to do.
Pulled off a job and six months later have no clue as to why? Welcome to Corporate America. Speaking for a friend, of course.Welcome to Corporate America. Entitled to an explanation? No. Demanding one? You'll either get pigeonholed someplace, or the explanation you'll get is. "Be glad you have a job, and be glad you have a job with us." Speaking for a friend, of course. |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1576
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
|
posted 10-30-2018 12:44 PM
quote:
Originally posted by ashot:
Mark Lee comes to mind...
Actually Mark Lee was removed from STS-98 for a specific reason. Although I know the reason from a pretty reliable source I don't feel free to share it. Other than back then it was not wise to run afoul of George Abbey or one of his friends. |
jimsz
Member Posts: 625
From:
Registered: Aug 2006
|
posted 10-30-2018 03:24 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Delta7:
You'd think she'd be entitled to SOME kind of explanation.
How does anyone here know if she were given a reason for the removal or not? We don't. Her employer (NASA) may not be able to comment on what actually took place and caused her removal. There are only her comments to go by.There is more to this but we may not know what it is. NASA is not going to easily remove an astronaut from a flight after spending huge amounts of money on their training. Reading her ongoing comments some people can make assumptions but that does not mean they are accurate. |
dcfowler1
Member Posts: 92
From: Eugene, OR
Registered: May 2006
|
posted 10-30-2018 10:27 PM
The Mark Lee incident hasn't been a state secret for quite some time now. |
Headshot
Member Posts: 940
From: Vancouver, WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2012
|
posted 05-11-2019 08:06 AM
Is Jeanette Epps still in the astronaut corps? Has she been given a new flight assignment yet? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 44622
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 05-11-2019 11:30 AM
Yes, Epps remains a member of the astronaut office. On Friday (May 10), she took part in a NASA astronaut appearance at the planetarium in Bogotá, Colombia.There has been no news of a new mission assignment. |
eurospace
Member Posts: 2631
From: Berlin, Germany
Registered: Dec 2000
|
posted 05-12-2019 07:55 PM
Interestingly enough, a letter sent to her via the Astronaut Office was returned as undelieverable. |
SPACEFACTS
Member Posts: 324
From: Germany
Registered: Aug 2006
|
posted 05-13-2019 04:25 AM
She served as CAPCOM in the first half of the EVA on April 08, 2019. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 44622
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 08-25-2020 10:51 AM
NASA has announced that Jeanette Epps has been assigned to the first operational mission of Boeing's CST-100 Starliner to the International Space Station.For news and discussion about that mission, please see this topic. |
David C
Member Posts: 1150
From: Lausanne
Registered: Apr 2012
|
posted 08-25-2020 11:49 AM
Well congratulations, determination finally pays. |
dom
Member Posts: 887
From:
Registered: Aug 2001
|
posted 08-25-2020 12:52 PM
Good to hear this news. |
eurospace
Member Posts: 2631
From: Berlin, Germany
Registered: Dec 2000
|
posted 08-25-2020 10:21 PM
Perhaps it would be fair to modify the title of this thread. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 44622
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
|
posted 08-26-2020 09:38 AM
The subject still reflects the primary topic of this thread; the update was posted here to provide a postscript, but the primary discussion about Epps' Starliner mission is at the new topic linked above. As replies here draw to an end, the thread will fall into the archive. |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1576
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
|
posted 08-26-2020 08:49 PM
I still find it incredulous that apparently NASA has never given Epps a reason for her removal from her original assignment. You'd think she'd be entitled to one. I would have demanded one. |
Skylon
Member Posts: 289
From:
Registered: Sep 2010
|
posted 08-27-2020 10:16 AM
There are two possibilities - both lead to the same conclusion: - As officially said, she was removed with no given reason and elected to not publicly complain as to not jeopardize her chances of a future assignment.
- She did get a reason but chose to not publicly discuss it as to jeopardize her chances of a future assignment.
Whatever happened, she hung in there, did whatever grunt work she was assigned in the interim and landed another flight. It isn't fair, but she probably made the smart move for her career. |
PowerCat
Member Posts: 207
From: Herington, KS, USA
Registered: Feb 2006
|
posted 08-27-2020 11:19 AM
Great to hear of the new assignment. Long time in coming for sure. |
Tallpaul
Member Posts: 186
From: Rocky Point, NY, USA
Registered: Feb 2012
|
posted 08-31-2020 07:43 PM
Best of luck to astronaut Epps. |
astro-nut
Member Posts: 991
From: Washington, IL
Registered: Jan 2006
|
posted 09-12-2020 12:05 PM
Congratulations to Astronaut Epps on her selection for her flight. I am sure she will do an excellent job during the mission. |
advertisement