Col. Anne McClain, an astronaut and former commander of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 at the International Space Station, was accused by her estranged wife, Summer Heather Worden, of illegally accessing Worden’s bank account from space during a previous mission. Worden, who is also a former Air Force intelligence officer and astronaut, has since admitted that these accusations were unfounded. Last week, she pleaded guilty to lying to law enforcement and now faces up to five years in federal prison along with a fine of up to $250,000. She is scheduled to be sentenced on February 12.
The case has attracted attention due to its unusual circumstances and the involvement of figures in the aerospace community.
The Accusation Dates from 2019
Worden claimed in August 2019 that McClain accessed her bank account without permission while McClain was aboard the International Space Station in January of that year. Worden alleged that McClain guessed her password, marking what was reported as the first instance of a crime being alleged in space.
The accusation prompted investigations by the Federal Trade Commission and NASA’s Inspector General. In 2020, a federal grand jury indicted Worden on charges of making false statements to government officials, stating that she had misrepresented the timeline of when she opened the account and changed her login credentials. The jury concluded that she had granted McClain access to her account and that McClain had acted with permission while managing their family finances.
At the time of the incident, the couple was in the process of divorcing. Worden had filed for divorce in 2018, and McClain had previously accused her of assault, a claim that Worden denied and which was later dismissed. The couple, who married in 2014, also disputed custody arrangements for their son and finalized their divorce in 2020.
McClain has consistently denied any wrongdoing, asserting that Worden knowingly provided false information to investigators. In her statement, McClain emphasized that there was no evidence to support Worden’s claims and that substantial evidence refuted them.
A Long and Distinguished Career
McClain, a Spokane, Washington native, holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical/aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, obtained in 2002. She later earned a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Bath in 2004 and additional master’s degrees in international relations and strategic studies.
As a Kiowa Warrior helicopter pilot, McClain has instructed other pilots and logged over 2,000 flight hours across various aircraft. She served 15 months in Operation Iraqi Freedom, where she flew 216 combat missions, accumulating over 800 hours in combat as pilot-in-command. In 2013, NASA selected her as a member of its 21st astronaut class, with half of the cohort being women, and she completed astronaut training in 2015.
In her NASA career, McClain participated in Expedition 58/59 as flight engineer and U.S. orbital segment lead, contributing to scientific experiments and leading two spacewalks totaling over 13 hours. More recently, she served as commander on NASA’s Expedition 72/73, conducting research, technology demonstrations, and maintenance activities aboard the International Space Station, and completing her third spacewalk, which lasted almost six hours. McClain has received several honors, including the Distinguished Service Medal and the Bronze Star.
Following in a Pioneer’s Space Steps
The first American woman astronaut, Sally Ride, flew on the space shuttle Challenger in 1983. Ride’s sexual orientation became public only after her death in 2012, when her long-term partner shared details of their relationship. Ride was known for her privacy regarding personal matters, including her cancer diagnosis.
After retiring from NASA, Ride became a physics professor and the director of the California Space Institute at the University of California, San Diego. She established Sally Ride Science in 2001 to inspire young people, especially girls, to engage in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). President Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013, posthumously honoring her contributions to education and exploration.
