Ex-astronaut's trial set for Dec. 7

ORLANDO, Fla., June 24 (UPI) -- A judge in Florida has set a Dec. 7 trial date for former U.S. astronaut Lisa Nowak, charged in a bizarre love triangle assault case.

Orange County Circuit Judge Marc Lubet also scheduled a pretrial hearing for Nov. 10, FloridaToday.com reported. The judge set the hearing and trial dates Tuesday while canceling another hearing that was to have been held Friday.

Authorities say that on Feb. 5, 2007, Nowak drove 1,000 miles from Houston to Orlando International Airport to stalk and attack Colleen Shipman, who she allegedly viewed as a competitor for the affections of astronaut William Oefelein.

Nowak is charged with attempted kidnapping, battery and attempted burglary with assault charges.

Authorities say Nowak wore an adult diaper to help facilitate her cross-country trip. They say she also had a duffel bag containing a BB pistol, a hunting knife, a rubber mallet, garbage bags, latex gloves and surgical tubing.

Nowak allegedly told investigators she wanted to talk with Shipman and had brought the items to force Shipman to sit with her.

Nowak, who was separated from her husband at the time and has since divorced, and Oefelein, who was divorced, were both fired by NASA after the incident. Oefelein and Shipman live together in Alaska, FloridaToday.com said.