Shuttle astronaut charged in kidnap plot

ORLANDO, Fla. – An astronaut drove from Houston to Florida, donned a disguise and confronted a woman she believed was romantically involved with a space shuttle pilot she was in love with, police said. She was charged with attempted kidnapping and other counts.

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 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 in December, police said.

Nowak told police that her relationship with Oefelein was “more than a working relationship but less than a romantic relationship,” according to an arrest affidavit. Police officers recovered a love letter to Oefelein in her car.

NASA spokesman James Hartsfield in Houston said that, as of Monday, Nowak’s status with the astronaut corps remained unchanged.

He said he couldn’t recall the last time an astronaut was arrested and said there are no rules against fraternizing among astronauts.

When Nowak found out that Shipman was flying to Orlando from Houston, she decided to confront her at the airport, according to the arrest affidavit. Nowak drove the 900-mile trip from Houston to Orlando wearing diapers so she wouldn’t have to stop to urinate, police said.

Astronauts wear diapers during launch and re-entry.

Dressed in a wig and a trench coat, Nowak rapped on Shipman’s car window, tried to open the car door and asked for a ride. Shipman refused but rolled down the car window. Nowak then sprayed a chemical into Shipman’s car, the affidavit said.

An officer watched Nowak throw away a bag containing a wig and BB gun. They also found a steel mallet, a 4-inch folding knife, rubber tubing, $600 and garbage bags, authorities said.

Police said Nowak told them that she only wanted to scare Shipman into talking to her about Oefelein and didn’t want to harm her physically.

“If you were just going to talk to someone, I don’t know that you would need a wig, a trench coat, an air cartridge BB gun and pepper spray,” said Sgt. Barbara Jones, a spokeswoman for the Orlando Police Department. “It’s just really a very sad case. … Now she ends up finding herself on the other side of the law with some very serious charges.”

If convicted of attempted kidnapping, Nowak could face a maximum of life in prison.