United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

EMPLOYEE OF NASA BATTERY CONTRACTOR IS SENTENCED

Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SUSAN BELLIVEAU, age 46, of 210 N. Canterbury Road, Canterbury, Connecticut, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Alfred V. Covello in Hartford to one year of probation.for falsifying test data for battery cells her employer had manufactured for NASA. Judge Covello also ordered BELLIVEAU to pay a fine in the amount of $1000. BELLIVEAU pleaded guilty to the offense on September 28, 2006.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, BELLIVEAU, a laboratory supervisor of a company that manufactures batteries and battery cells for, among other customers, NASA, was responsible for overseeing the testing of cells to be used in batteries that power Extravehicular Mobility Units, commonly called space suits, used by astronauts during space flight. The battery cells, which had been manufactured with a new component, were being tested to determine, among other properties, the cells’ “wet life,” which is the period of time that the cells will function correctly after being activated and then repeatedly being charged and discharged.

When the cell being tested for wet life failed prematurely, BELLIVEAU created false documents that made it appear the cell functioned as it should have. That conduct violated a NASA regulation directing that, for use in human space flight, materials, manufacturing and workmanship of the highest quality are essential for astronaut safety.

When NASA learned of the premature failure of the cell and of what BELLIVEAU had done, it took corrective action, and no injuries have resulted from her conduct.

This case was investigated by the NASA Office of the Inspector General and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Calvin B. Kurimai.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov