In a shocking incident that forever altered NASA, an astronaut drove 900 miles to confront her ex’s girlfriend in 2007.

The story revolves around Lisa Nowak, a former NASA astronaut and American aeronautical engineer, who had been part of the Space Shuttle Discovery mission in 2006. She served as the mission flight engineer, operating the robotic arm during several spacewalks.

However, in February 2007, Nowak made an unsettling decision. She drove from Houston, Texas, to Orlando, Florida, a distance of 900 miles, bringing along a troubling assortment of items, including a trench coat, wig, pepper spray, a BB gun, rope, trash bags, and an 8-inch knife, all found in her car.

At Orlando International Airport, Nowak approached the car of Colleen Shipman, the girlfriend of Bill Oefelein, a fellow astronaut with whom Nowak had previously been romantically involved. Claiming she needed a ride after her boyfriend failed to show up, Nowak knocked on Shipman’s window and began crying. When Shipman rolled down the window, Nowak immediately pepper-sprayed her, shouting, "You b****," before fleeing the scene.

Nowak was arrested and faced charges of attempted murder and kidnapping. The media soon uncovered that Shipman was dating Bill Oefelein, the astronaut with whom Nowak had once had an affair. Prior to the attack, Nowak had reportedly sneaked into Oefelein’s apartment to read his emails with Shipman and had made numerous calls to him each day.
 
The case became known as the ‘Astronaut Love Triangle.’ Initially pleading not guilty, Nowak later accepted a plea deal, pleading guilty to a reduced charge of burglary and misdemeanor battery. She was sentenced to one year of probation.

During her court appearance, Nowak expressed remorse, stating that she was "sincerely sorry" for her actions.

The incident prompted significant changes within NASA. In response, the agency revamped its approach to evaluating the mental health of astronauts. Previously, astronauts only underwent psychological evaluations during selection, but going forward, the agency would conduct continuous assessments. NASA also mandated access to counseling for its staff and introduced a formal astronaut Code of Conduct.

In 2008, NASA established the Behavioral and Health Performance (BHP) program. Psychiatrist Nick Kanas, who had previously screened NASA astronauts, explained: “Before 2008, psychiatric screening was only done for astronaut candidates. Now, all astronauts are screened annually by a psychiatrist, whether they are flying or not.”

As for the individuals involved, Oefelein and Shipman later married, and Nowak is reportedly living a quiet life in Texas, working in the private sector.