Bizarre confrontation sinks naval career

by admin on Friday, July 29th, 2011 | No Comments

Former NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak has now been booted out of the Navy. Photo: AP

A former astronaut who made international headlines when she drove across the US to confront a love rival is now being kicked out of the US Navy.

Captain Lisa Nowak will retire with an ”other than honourable” discharge and her pay grade will be knocked down one rank, assistant secretary of Navy Juan Garcia said.

Nowak’s conduct ”demonstrated a complete disregard for the well-being of a fellow service member”, Mr Garcia said, referring to Nowak’s infamous confrontation with her romantic rival, Air Force Captain Colleen Shipman.

Nowak drove 1500 kilometres from Houston, Texas, to Orlando, Florida, to confront Captain Shipman in the parking lot of Orlando International Airport in 2007. Captain Shipman had begun dating Captain Nowak’s love interest, former space shuttle pilot Bill Oefelein.

Captain Nowak was accused of following Captain Shipman to the parking lot and trying to get into her car. Investigators alleged she blasted Captain Shipman with pepper spray, but her lawyer said the pepper spray did not make contact. Captain Shipman was able to drive away.

Captain Nowak pleaded guilty to misdemeanour battery and felony burglary and was sentenced to community service in 2009.

Captain Nowak had adult nappies, which are used by astronauts, in her car. It was alleged she wore the nappies so she would not have to stop for toilet breaks during the trip, but she disputed this claim.

The mother-of-three was banished from NASA after the incident and has since been working at the Chief of Naval Air Training station in Corpus Christi, Texas. She will be demoted to commander when her retirement takes effect on September 1.