Predicting Nowak's Future: 'She's Ruined'

Feb. 8, 2007 — -- The outrageous behavior of one of NASA's most admired astronauts has now resulted in an overhaul of how all astronauts will be psychologically screened.

Astronaut Lisa Marie Nowak, charged with attempted first-degree murder after confronting and pepper spraying Air Force Capt. Colleen Shipman, whom she felt was a romantic rival, has left her organization red-faced.

On Tuesday, NASA administrators made no effort to hide their embarrassment concerning her behavior.

"We expect astronauts, as we expect any NASA employee, to conduct themselves in a way that does not bring dishonor to the space program," NASA's Shana Dale said.

Nowak's sister is now trying to lend support by releasing photographs of happier times to the media, including one from 2002 showing Nowak with her husband and their twin daughters.

Nowak boasted about her twins just before the July 2006 launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery.

"My little girls, the twins, are 4-and-a-half. So they know what space is, they know what the space shuttle is. They know mommy's going to space," she said in an interview with ABC News.

Now, Nowak faces the possibility of going to jail.

While NASA has grounded her and placed her on leave, many of her friends and colleagues are standing by her. Dr. Jonathan Clark, a former NASA flight surgeon, is one of Nowak's biggest supporters. He lost his astronaut wife Laurel Clark when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated in 2003.

"She put off the needs of her own family to help us through this. I feel that if people really knew the amount of sacrifice that she made to take care of us, it would give a different light in the circumstances that exist now," Clark said.

Nowak will likely have no shortage of character witnesses when her case goes to trial, and facing attempted murder charges she'll need all the support she can get. If convicted, she could face up to 30 years in prison.