US astronaut tried to kidnap love rival

[liberaldemocrat7]

US astronaut tried to kidnap love rival

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16997782/

ORLANDO, Fla. - Disguised in a dark wig, glasses and a trench coat, U.S. space shuttle astronaut Lisa Nowak waited in hiding for a woman she considered a rival for another astronaut's affections and tried to kidnap her, police in Orlando said on Monday.

Nowak, 43, was arrested on charges including battery and attempted kidnapping, according to an Orlando police affidavit.

Nowak, a married flight engineer with three children, was awaiting her next flight assignment after traveling aboard the shuttle Discovery in July 2006.

Oefelein was part of a separate shuttle Discovery mission in December that continued construction on the International Space Station.

Around midnight on Monday, Nowak went to the airport disguised in a wig and trench coat, waited for Shipman's flight from Houston to arrive and then followed Shipman to the parking garage armed with pepper spray, a steel mallet and a BB gun, police said.

Nowak also carried black gloves, a folding knife with a 4-inch blade, rubber tubing and trash bags, police said.

In a taped statement given to police, Nowak described her connection to Oefelein as "more than a working relationship but less than a romantic relationship."

Police recommended Nowak be held without bail due to the detailed planning, disguises and weapons found in her possession.

Johnson Space Center spokesman James Hartsfield said, "As of now, her status at NASA is unchanged. I cannot speculate beyond that."

[StClone]

1. Dark Wig!?

She has plenty of dark hair already...she doesn't sound like a Rocket Scientist.





Lisa Nowak

[Kutjara]

2. That is, without a doubt,...

...the weirdest story I've read in a long time.

Wearing diapers so you don't have to stop on a long car journey to kidnap a rival is almost the dictionary definition of "obsession."

[Elidor]

3. Mug shot

An astronaut drove 900 miles and donned a disguise to confront a woman she believed was her rival for the affections of a space shuttle pilot, police said. She was arrested Monday and charged with attempted kidnapping and other counts.
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U.S. Navy Capt. Lisa Nowak, 43, who flew last July on a shuttle mission to the international space station, was also charged with attempted vehicle burglary with battery, destruction of evidence and battery. She was denied bail.

Police said Nowak drove from her home in Houston to the Orlando International Airport to confront Colleen Shipman.

Nowak believed Shipman was romantically involved with Navy Cmdr. William Oefelein, a pilot during space shuttle Discovery's trip to the space station last December, police said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070206/ap_on_re_us/astronaut_arrested;_ylt=Amjq7NWFnVPwj3LiJYKIn.as0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--

[Bucky]

4. It's the rubber hoses and that new steel mallet that will sink her defense

I laugh at this story until I think about what she might've done with a steel mallet and a hog tied love rival.

[Kutjara]

5. The trash bags were a creepy touch too.

What was she going to use those for, I wonder?

[Arkansas Granny]

10. I realize that mugshots are not the most flattering pictures, but

when compared to her "before" picture, this one reminds me of the before and after pictures of meth users. I'm not suggesting that she's on drugs, just saying.

http://www.facesofmeth.us/main.htm

[tabasco]

11. She is a Navy Captain - equivalent to a bird colonel in the Army.

She's one rank below rear admiral.

[Wiley50]

6. How Many Friggin Threads do We Need On this?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x134697

[man4allcats]

7. This is one sick woman!

Good Lord! :eyes: This may be the first documentable case of Post Traumatic Space Disorder.

[shireen]

8. very troubling incident

my first reaction: what the hell kind of psychological screening process do they have for astronauts? These people are entrusted with some very expensive and valuable scientific hardware (OK, well, the space station is expensive junk). THis lady sounds deeply troubled and could have been flipped out enough to do serious damage during a mission.

[KharmaTrain]

9. She Had A Pretty Impressive Record

Look at her qualifications and it appeared she was another of the successful career women who've advanced through the "glass ceiling" of the patriarchial military. Kinda like the picture we were given of male astronauts who also had their human failings...and sadly this is a case where something snapped and we really don't have the full picture.

One would hope that if there was some kind of obsessive relationship thing going on that precipitated into this big of an incident that someone know more of the story here and that we will hear about in days ahead. The corporate media loves this kinda of juicy story. Surely we'll hear about some love triangle...human failings in a world where people are expected to be "super human".

This just sounds and reads of a very sad person whose real troubles are about to begin as her life and dirty laundry get fed into the media grist mill.