ORLANDO, Fla. -- Former astronaut Lisa Nowak turned from a courtroom podium Tuesday to face the woman she was accused of attacking two years ago. She stood up straight and her blue eyes focused on Colleen Shipman sitting in the front row of the packed room.

"I am sincerely sorry for causing fear and misunderstanding and all the intense public exposure you have encountered," Nowak said.

Moments later, Orange Circuit Court Judge Marc Lubet accepted Nowak's guilty plea of burglary to a car, a third-degree felony, and misdemeanor battery.

Lubet -- taking into consideration Nowak's background, lack of criminal record, her apology and other factors -- sentenced her to two days in jail with credit for two days time served. He also ordered her to one year of probation and 50 hours of community service.

Without the plea, she faced up to five years in prison.

She must stay away from Shipman, who lives in Alaska, and has to write a "sincere" letter of apology to her former romantic rival within 10 days.

"You have apologized to Ms. Shipman, and the court believes your apology is sincere. It's been almost three years since the events took place that created this nightmare for Ms. Shipman," Lubet said. "And you are 100 percent responsible for that nightmare, and I believe you have accepted that responsibility here today."

The deal ends a bizarre drama that intrigued national news outlets and supermarket tabloids alike for nearly three years.

Nowak, a mission specialist on Discovery's July 2006 flight, was arrested after a strange confrontation with Shipman at Orlando International Airport on Feb. 5, 2007.

Shipman was dating Bill Oefelein, an astronaut who grew up in Alaska and who was Nowak's former lover. Orlando police said Nowak drove nearly 1,000 miles from Houston to Orlando. Soiled diapers were found in her car. A detective said she told him she used the diapers so she wouldn't have to stop on the way; the detail was later denied by her attorney, who claimed the soiled diapers were left in the car when the family evacuated for a hurricane.

Nowak was accused of attacking Shipman in the airport parking lot and blasting her with pepper spray. Her defense challenged whether Shipman had any contact with the spray.

NIGHTMARES CONTINUE

During Tuesday's hearing, a tearful Shipman said she was certain Nowak had one intention in mind.

"It was in her eyes, a blood-chilling expression of unlimited rage and glee," Shipman said. "I am a hundred percent certain Lisa Nowak came here to murder me."

Shipman said that she lost her job in the Air Force because of the attack and it gave her high blood pressure, dizzy spells and migraines.

She said she still has nightmares and constantly looks over her shoulder. She bought a shotgun and had an alarm installed in her home, "all in effort to feel secure again, but none of it has worked."

She lives with Oefelein in Alaska. They are engaged.

Lubet also barred Nowak from contacting Oefelein, who was not in court.

"No books, no messages, no poems, no nothing," Lubet said.

LETTERS OF SUPPORT

In support of Nowak, her attorney, Donald A. Lykkebak, introduced into evidence several letters from members of the military and former astronauts who worked with her.

Former astronaut Robert Curbeam Jr. wrote how Nowak was under a "tremendous amount of stress during that time in her life and that her actions were totally out of character."

"I am very confident that the alleged behavior of Lisa Nowak in February 2007 was an aberration, and I have no doubt that this would never occur again," he wrote in a two-page letter to the judge.

Lykkebak described Nowak's record as "exemplary" and reminded Lubet that Nowak had no criminal history.

Nowak, 46, remains in the Navy but she was dropped from the astronaut corps. Oefelein, 44, also was forced out of NASA.

Attorneys for both Shipman and Nowak said they were satisfied with Tuesday's plea.

Shipman's attorney, Kepler Funk, said his client wanted to see Nowak admit her guilt.

Lykkebak said he felt his client was treated fairly by the judge.

But now his client wants to be left alone.

"She asked for privacy to be accorded to Ms. Shipman and she would like privacy herself," Lykkebak said. "So please respect this request."

ADVERTISEMENT