Authorities in the southern U.S. state of Florida say they plan to charge a U.S. astronaut with attempted murder of a woman she considered a romantic rival.
Authorities say Lisa Nowak, 43, drove hundreds of kilometers from Houston, Texas, to Orlando, Florida, to confront Colleen Shipman.
Nowak allegedly considered Shipman a rival for the affection of space shuttle pilot William Oefelein.
Shipman told police that Nowak confronted her early Monday in a parking lot at the Orlando airport dressed in a wig and trench coat. Shipman says Nowak sprayed her with a chemical, apparently pepper spray.
Shipman drove off and called police, who arrested Nowak and found a steel mallet, folding knife, rubber tubing and a love letter to Oefelein.
Nowak has already been charged with counts including attempted kidnapping and attempted vehicle burglary with battery.
She was to be released on bail, but the expected attempted murder charge halted her release. She appears in an Orlando court later Tuesday.
Nowak, a flight engineer and a U.S. Navy captain, is married with three children. She flew on the Discovery shuttle mission last July.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
