Astronaut's Ex-Wife Sentenced for Lying About Space Crime

Summer Heather Worden falsely accused her former spouse, NASA astronaut Anne McClain, of illegally accessing her bank account from the International Space Station.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Summer Heather Worden, the ex-wife of NASA astronaut Anne McClain, has been sentenced to three months in federal prison and ordered to pay $210,000 in restitution for falsely accusing McClain of illegally accessing her bank account from the International Space Station during their divorce proceedings.

Why it matters

This case highlights the potential consequences of making false accusations, especially those involving high-profile individuals like astronauts. It also raises questions about privacy and security concerns for those working in space.

The details

Worden, a former U.S. Air Force intelligence officer, pleaded guilty in November 2025 to lying to law enforcement after she accused McClain of committing the first ever crime from the International Space Station. However, the investigation revealed that Worden had actually granted McClain access to the bank account in question, and that both parties had accessed it until Worden changed the credentials in January 2019.

  • In July 2019, Worden accused McClain of illegally accessing her bank account while deployed to the International Space Station.
  • In November 2025, Worden pleaded guilty to lying to authorities about the incident.
  • On February 12, 2026, Worden was sentenced to three months in federal prison and ordered to pay $210,000 in restitution.

The players

Summer Heather Worden

The ex-wife of NASA astronaut Anne McClain, who was sentenced to three months in federal prison and ordered to pay $210,000 in restitution for falsely accusing McClain of illegally accessing her bank account from space.

Anne McClain

A NASA astronaut who was falsely accused by her ex-wife, Summer Heather Worden, of illegally accessing her bank account from the International Space Station during their divorce proceedings.

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The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of verifying claims, especially those involving serious allegations, and the potential consequences of making false accusations, even in high-profile situations like those involving astronauts.