Lisa Nowak

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Lore & Background

Lisa Marie Caputo was born in Washington, D.C., on May 10, 1963, and grew up in Rockville, Maryland. Inspired by the Apollo 11 Moon mission in 1969, she pursued a path to space. She graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in aeronautical engineering and was commissioned as an ensign. She later earned a Master of Science in aeronautical engineering and a degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. She attended the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in 1994, flying the F/A-18 Hornet and EA-6B Prowler. During her Navy career, she logged over 1,500 hours in more than 30 aircraft and received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, and Navy Achievement Medal. Selected by NASA for Astronaut Group 16 in 1996, Nowak qualified as a mission specialist in robotics. She flew on Space Shuttle Discovery during STS-121 in July 2006, operating the robotic arms of the shuttle and the International Space Station. In February 2007, she was arrested in Orlando, Florida, after accosting and pepper-spraying Colleen Shipman, a U.S. Air Force captain romantically involved with astronaut William Oefelein. Nowak initially pleaded not guilty to charges including attempted kidnapping, burglary with assault, and battery. NASA terminated her assignment as an astronaut. In 2009, she pleaded guilty to felony burglary and misdemeanor battery. A Naval Board of Inquiry later reduced her rank from captain to commander and retired her from the Navy under other than honorable conditions.

Reader's Guide

Lisa Nowak's significance lies in the stark contrast between her accomplished career as a NASA astronaut and naval officer and her sudden fall from grace due to criminal misconduct. Her flight on STS-121 represented a peak in a path that began with childhood inspiration from Apollo 11 and included rigorous training as a naval flight officer and test engineer. However, the 2007 incident—involving the pepper-spraying of a romantic rival—led to felony and misdemeanor convictions, termination by NASA, demotion from captain to commander, and forced retirement from the Navy after 25 years of service. Her case became a cautionary tale about personal conduct and the high standards expected of astronauts. It also highlighted the intense pressures and personal vulnerabilities that can affect even highly trained professionals. Nowak's legacy is thus dual: a skilled engineer and astronaut who contributed to space shuttle operations, and a figure whose criminal actions overshadowed her technical achievements.

Did You Know?

• Nowak was inspired to become an astronaut after watching the Apollo 11 Moon mission in 1969 at age six.
• She applied to the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School three times before being accepted.
• During her Navy career, Nowak logged over 1,500 hours of flight time in more than 30 different aircraft.
• She was one of 35 mission specialist candidates selected in NASA Astronaut Group 16 in 1996, the largest class since 1978.
• In 2009, Nowak pleaded guilty to felony burglary and misdemeanor battery as part of a plea deal.