Astronaut on a Mission

Astronaut Lisa Marie Nowak drove 1,000 miles, from Houston to Orlando, for more than 12 hours without stopping to meet passenger Colleen Shipman's arrival at the Orlando airport at 1AM yesterday. Shipman, an engineer at Patrick Air Force base, was Nowak's rival for the affections of Astronaut Bill Oefelein, and Nowak intended to teach Shipman a lesson,

Nowak – who was a mission specialist on a Space Shuttle Discovery flight last summer – was wearing a trench coat and wig and had a knife, BB pistol, and latex gloves in her car, reports show. They also found diapers, which Nowak said she used so she wouldn't have to stop on the 1,000-mile drive. Reports show that after US Air Force Capt Colleen Shipman's flight arrived, Nowak followed her to the airport's Blue Lot for long-term parking, tried to get into Shipman's car, and then doused her with pepper spray.

Police, who arrested Nowak and charged her with attempted kidnapping, battery, and attempted vehicle burglary with battery, said that along with the weapons and other items in Nowak's car, they found emails from Shipman to Oefelein and Mapquest directions from Houston to the Orlando airport. But it's the adult diapers that will forever be the jewel in the crown of this news story. Nowak's arrest was the first-ever on felony charges of an active-duty astronaut. (Orlando Sentinel via BoingBoing; t/y Ian)

Photos: top, Nowak suited up in NASA shot, fucked up in mug shot; inset, astronaut Oefelein, Shipman

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