By Chuck Hustmyre

March 7, 2007

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ORLANDO, Fla.  (Crime Library) —  NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak's professional and personal life came crashing down last month when she went on a bizarre 1000-mile odyssey armed with a BB gun, a steel mallet, a knife, rubber tubing, and a can of pepper spray to confront a woman she felt was her romantic rival for the affections of fellow astronaut Bill Oefelein.

What prompted that strange journey and early morning confrontation became clearer this week as prosecutors released a pile of documents related to the case.

Among those documents were a dozen emails between Oefelein, 41, and his new girlfriend, 30-year-old U.S. Air Force Capt. Colleen Shipman, including one steamy love note Shipman sent the space shuttle pilot in December as he was orbiting the earth aboard the shuttle Discovery.

In that email, Shipman wrote:

"Will have to control myself when I see you. First urge will be to rip your clothes off, throw you on the ground and love the hell out of you.

"Am anxious to get you alone...but honestly, love, I want you to totally and thoroughly enjoy your hero's homecoming. So happy for you!!!!! I'll be here for you..."

In other emails, Shipman wrote: "Lots of love coming your way...and kisses and a great big giant hug with my legs wrapped around you. I love you and I am head-over-heels IN love with you."

In an email Oefelein sent to Shipman in January, he wrote: "I need to see you - I am having Colleen withdrawals. Must see Colleen."

In another email, Oefelein playfully chided himself for intending to send Shipman a picture he shot aboard the space shuttle but instead sending her the wrong one. "You must really have me around your finger that I can't even function without you here," he wrote, "and with you here, I am slightly smarter than a slug."

Shipman was planning on accompanying Oefelein on a NASA-related trip to Europe in April. In an email exchange in which they discussed the details of the upcoming trip, Oefelein wrote: "If we agree to fly coach, we can bring spouses/significant others. I assume that is the case:-)"

Next Page

Crash Landing: The Spectacular Fall of Lisa Nowak

Astronaut Lisa Marie Nowak Charged With Attempted Murder

Contact Chuck Hustmyre at chuck3174@yahoo.com

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