Who is Summer Worden? All about NASA astronaut Anne McClain’s wife as she pleads guilty to falsely accusing her of committing crime in space

Summer Worden, the 44-year-old former Air Force intelligence officer, is back in the public eye after pleading guilty to lying to federal authorities about her then-spouse, NASA astronaut Anne McClain.

Worden had previously accused McClain of committing what would have been the first crime in space after accessing her bank account while aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

New evidence and her recent plea not only cleared Anne McClain of the allegation, but also settled a long simmering, bitter dispute between the exes.

Worden, 50, could be sentenced to a maximum of five years in prison and face up to a $250,000 fine after pleading guilty she had knowingly lied to investigators. Her claim, which she originally made in 2019, led to scrutiny by the Federal Trade Commission and NASA’s Office of Inspector General and attracted widespread media attention.

JUST IN: Woman who accused her wife of committing the first crime in space pleads guilty after admitting to making it all up.

Summer Worden claimed in 2019 that her wife, NASA astronaut Anne McClain, tried illegally accessing her bank account from space.

At the time, McClain… pic.twitter.com/df2k11hGYy

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 18, 2025

Not much is known about Summer Worden's private life other than the fact that she worked as a U.S. Air Force intelligence officer. She is said to have a good background in intelligence, cybersecurity, and government service.

The dispute between Worden and McClain originated during the couple’s rocky separation and custody battle. At the time, McClain was on a six-month stint aboard the ISS, as she and another astronaut were gearing up for NASA’s first all-female spacewalk.

Worden realized that someone had gained entry into her bank account and she immediately suspected her estranged spouse. She claimed that McClain had guessed her password, then accessed NASA-related networks while in orbit to illicitly view her financial records.

More about Summer Worden’s allegations against Anne McClain and recent findings

Summer Worden reached out to her bank, NASA’s inspector general and the Federal Trade Commission, claiming that McClain had stolen her identity from space. The accusations represented what was believed to be the first formal criminal allegation of a crime committed in space.

McClain, an Army officer and astronaut selected by NASA as part of its 2013 class, had categorically denied any misconduct. She said through her legal representatives that she had administered the couple’s joint finances for years, and had thought she still had permission to take money from the account.

Investigators subsequently verified the story, discovering that Worden and McClain had been using those login credentials from as early as 2015, and both logged in regularly while they were married. Records also indicated that the bank account referenced was jointly used until Worden modified the log-in details in 2019.

The inquiry eventually found that McClain had not wrongfully used any financial information. Instead, federal prosecutors concluded Worden had lied to investigators while the couple went through a tough break up. Their divorce was finalized in 2020.

McClain, who made her way back to the ISS as commander of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission in March 2025, was also absolved of any wrongdoings. She kept her job with NASA, and Worden’s guilty plea today is the legal conclusion of the long saga.