Well, I tried to avoid blogging about this, starting yesterday since I was really annoyed that its initial appearance as a story was in the Science section of a number of organizations, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with science. But now that it has arrived in the more general news sections of some publications (see a nice Independent UK article here, for example), I am happier to talk about it, and also to briefly remark upon any tentative connection with science that might be there.
The case is the one concerning the arrest of astronaut Lisa Marie Nowak on what has now been alleged to be attempted first-degree murder. (It stated out as mere vehicle burglary, battery, and destruction of evidence, but was later upgraded.) Basically, in case you’ve not heard, Ms Nowak drove 950 miles from Texas to Florida to stalk and confront (in disguise!) Colleen Shipman, a US Air Force officer. The two women are supposed to be competing for the affections for another astronaut William Oefelein, and Nowak seemed to have decided to sort it out. She confrontation ended with her spraying pepper spray into the eyes of her victim, who managed to get away and summon help and get her attacker arrested. The charges were upgraded to attempted murder when Nowak’s car was found to have, among other things:
… wig and a carbon-dioxide powered air pistol, known in the US as a BB gun. Inside a bag she was carrying, officers claim they also found the tan-coloured trenchcoat she had been wearing before, a brand new steel mallet, a new folding knife with a four-inch blade, three to four feet of rubber tubing, a number of large plastic dustbin liners …
(Note to self: Be careful about what gardening paraphernalia I drive around with in my car from now on.)
This is a very sad story, of course, although there is one amusing note that I can’t resist mentioning. There was an adult nappy (diaper) in the car. What on earth was that for? Well, she explained it to the police:
So anxious was she to get to Orlando before Ms Shipman’s flight arrived that she wore it to avoid having to stop the car along the way to go to the bathroom.
Brilliant! Sadly, I think this will only contribute further to people thinking she’s a bit nuts. However, as the article notes:
To her, this may have seemed an entirely practical idea – astronauts all wear nappies on space missions, during the initial launch and again while the shuttle re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere.
Anyway… Yes, all very sad, and I hope that things work out as well as can be reasonably hoped. What’s also interesting is of course why the story is interesting. I don’t watch network or local TV news, so for all I know the details of this case are no more bizarre than appears regularly on those programs that wander in the swampland between news and entertainment, but I can guess that a big part of the fascination is because these are astronauts, who don’t normally (apparently never) get arrested on major crimes, and who are known to go through meticulous screenings of a physical and psychological nature. There’s an image NASA has – the “Right Stuff” business- of these people being very special specimens of humanity, and somehow this story is fascinating in that it brings this into question…
A Reuters article discusses some of this. A quote:
“In spite of all the cheerful NASA publicity, the astronauts are only human beings after all,” said Pat Santy, a psychiatrist affiliated with the University of Michigan who used to assist NASA with astronaut selection.
“I’m sure it is shocking to find out that they have unhappy marriages, engage in affairs, have problems with their kids, act out in all sorts of inappropriate ways,” Santy wrote in her web log.
And later…
But despite the superstar culture, NASA has always known that its astronauts are “actually rather normal people,” said Keith Cowing, a former NASA employee who now runs the nasawatch.com Web site.
“The only difference between her (Nowak) and any other technology professional is that sometimes she gets to walk around in a silver space suit. She’s subject to all the temptations and weaknesses as everybody else,” Cowing told Reuters.
Well, yes and no. I would say that she’s still in a very special category. In addition to her remarkable astronaut skills, she has had a breakdown that led her to stalk and attack someone physically. I’d like to argue that that’s not ordinary either. It’s not normal. There’s an extraordinary and sad problem, maybe brought on by the remarkable job she has to do, or maybe not. Either way, while I see that point of going for the “astronauts are human after all” angle, I’m not certain that I’m happy with these attempts to say that this is normal behaviour that we all engage in. Go for the “human after all element” when talking about the everyday ordinary things (interests, frailties, passions) we can all identify with…. not the extremes.
Anyway, I’m rambling. Just thought I’d bring this to your attention. What do you think?
-cvj
Nowak is probably snapped. She should be seeing a doctor rather than being prosecuted. On the other hand, Shipman, the other woman, can hardly be blamed. She did not know Nowak at the time. She did what she, or anybody else, should do and has to do when she was attacked by a stranger. It is indeed a sad story for NASA.
I missed most of the news on this story (was working in Asia). Just now getting around to reading about the asternaut love thing.
I feel sorry for Nowak, her family and Oefelein’s kids. The other woman (Shipman) surly could have handled this different. There was every avenue she could have gone through with the Air Force, Navy and NASA that would have saved all the bad publicity for all concerned. As it is, so many lives devastated because of all the publicity. It’s no surprise the local police are relishing in such a high profile arrest. With Nowak’s background and training it’s clear she just snapped and I doubt it was all about Oefelein. Too bad this all happened it’s a black mark against NASA.
Bill,
Thanks. That’s a very informative and valuable comment. I wish you all the very best, and I am also hoping (as other commenters have said) that she gets the right treatment instead of just being treated like a criminal.
Best Wishes,
-cvj
I’m 62 and got hit with a full blown manic/psychotic episode about 2 years ago and ended up in a psychiatric hospital for a very long week’s visit. I had never experienced mania before, and there is no family history of bipolar. I’ve suffered from depression most of my adult life, and was under a lot of stress at the time. But what kicked me into orbit was too high a dose of an anti-depressant notorious for causing mania (Effexor, but there are others). It’s effective in boosting mood for many, but it can push you from depression, right through the mood midline, into hypomania, and on to a full manic episode. It’s not common, but there are a lot of people who’ve been down this rocky path.
My guess is the same thing happened to the astronaut, and time will tell as the case unfolds. It’s a devastating experience and _everything_ in your life changes. She may be faced with an extended bout of painful deep depression if my experience is any indication. Fortunately, I didn’t engage in criminal, promiscuous or dangerous behavior as do many manics. Her behavior is bizarre and completely out of character, but when manic anything this possible. Take my word for it.
BTW – I’m largely recovered and my life is getting back on track thanks to my (new) medicating psych, my loving wife and family, and several other key people such as my experienced and wise therapist. Without my support system, I don’t know where I’d be now, or even if I’d be.
My thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family and friends.
Actually, I have bipolar disorder and was misdiagnosed with depression for years. I never had a manic episode until 5 years ago, and that was the only one I’ve ever had.
I suspect it’s the same for her – the description of her obsession and the manic behavior are just classic bipolar mania, though.
Sometimes there is just no way to tell until something happens. I think family history is important though – my sister and nephew have bipolar disorder too.
Interestingly, I was bored one day and wrote her Wikipedia article (as well as the one for William Oefelein). No one ever touched it (typical for the random astronaut bios), but all of a sudden yesterday they exploded and that’s how I heard what happened.
Anyway, poor woman. I hope she’ll get whatever help it is she needs.
I think that you’ve nailed the “newsworthiness” aspect of this story – if she wasn’t an astronaut, who would care? It’s all about the contrast with the “right stuff” image that NASA still likes to portray. That and the big nappy, obviously.
Anyway, it’s a sad story and by all accounts very out of character, suggesting a recent mental breakdown of some sort. I hope it all works out.
I read the blog of a guy who went to Antarctica as an employer for Raytheon. Even though he’s undergone psychiatric evaluations before, they make them go through a new psychiatric evaluation before each trip. That seemed excessive to me before, but now maybe it makes sense. (He posted some of the questions on his blog back in September–it’s at http://bigblueglobe.blogspot.com/2006/08/crazy-is-as-crazy-does.html)
My daughter is bipolar–in my experience you can’t hide it either.
Donna – that was my assumption too, although it is odd that NASA didn’t pick that up either in their initial screening procedure or in the continued psychological evaluation that you would presume they have while in the astronaut program.
In my (limited) experience, bipolar disorder is very difficult to hide.
I think she’s most likely suffering from bipolar disorder and needs professional mental help and some time in the psych ward.
Too bad they throw her in jail instead where she can’t get the help she needs. But that’s probably true for oh, three quarters of the prison population.
No!! It’s equality between the sexes! Look, women can be astronauts, too! Look, women can be dangerous jealous crazies, too!
Phew! For a second I thought this post was about another type of space opera.
It is very sad, because I can see some people saying “that is why women should not be in this or that position, they get to emotional and go nuts”.