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Former astronaut to remain on probation

At left, Mission Specialist Lisa Nowak of the STS-121 pictured in a June 13, 2006 file photo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to take part in a Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT. At right, Nowak is pictured in her police mug shot taken by the City of Orlando Police Department on February 5, 2007. Nowak was fired from NASA on March 7, 2007 after being charged on February 6, 2007 with attempted kidnapping and burglary with assault related to an incident with crew mate Colleen Shipman. Orlando Police say that Nowak drove 900 miles and donned a disguise before confronting Shipman, who she believed was a competitor for the affections of Navy Cmdr. William Oefelein, an unmarried fellow astronaut. (UPI Photo/NASA/Orlando Police Department/FILE)
At left, Mission Specialist Lisa Nowak of the STS-121 pictured in a June 13, 2006 file photo at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to take part in a Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, or TCDT. At right, Nowak is pictured in her police mug shot taken by the City of Orlando Police Department on February 5, 2007. Nowak was fired from NASA on March 7, 2007 after being charged on February 6, 2007 with attempted kidnapping and burglary with assault related to an incident with crew mate Colleen Shipman. Orlando Police say that Nowak drove 900 miles and donned a disguise before confronting Shipman, who she believed was a competitor for the affections of Navy Cmdr. William Oefelein, an unmarried fellow astronaut. (UPI Photo/NASA/Orlando Police Department/FILE) | License Photo

ORLANDO, Fla., May 25 (UPI) -- A Florida judge says he has denied former astronaut Lisa Nowak's request to end probation early in a battery case against a female military officer.

Orange Circuit Judge Marc Lubet Monday said Nowak must complete the remaining six months of her 12-month probation.

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Lubet did change Nowak's status to "administrative probation," meaning she doesn't have to check in regularly with her probation officer, the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel reported Tuesday.

In November, Nowak pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery and car burglary stemming from a February 2007 confrontation at Orlando International Airport with Colleen Shipman, then a U.S. Air Force captain who was dating Nowak's love interest, former astronaut William Oefelein.

Nowak since has completed an anger management seminar and written Shipman an apology letter.

Shipman, who lives with Oefelein in Alaska and is engaged to him, said in a letter to the court she believed Nowak drove to Orlando to kill her, the Sentinel reported.

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