Panel: Astronauts lit at launch

[Mr. Blonde]

Astronauts flew missions drunk, panel finds

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Florida (CNN) -- Astronauts flew drunk on at least two occasions despite warnings from doctors and colleagues that they posed a flight safety risk, according to a report commissioned by NASA.


A panel reportedly found that flight surgeons allowed intoxicated astronauts to fly on the shuttle.

"Interviews with both flight surgeons and astronauts identified some episodes of heavy use of alcohol by astronauts in the immediate preflight period," the panel said.

The committee report offered no specifics about the drinking episodes and said no attempt was made to confirm information given in interviews.

"Until we have more information, NASA cannot determine the veracity of these claims," the report said.

As a result of the allegations, however, NASA said it has adopted an interim policy saying astronauts are not qualified for flight if they consume alcohol within 12 hours of launch.

At an ongoing news conference, Shana Dale, NASA deputy administrator, said the agency would act immediately on reports of alcohol use, conduct an internal safety review and then "recommend corrective actions." NASA takes the report's recommendation for an astronaut code of conduct "very seriously," Dale said.

The report was prompted by the arrest of former astronaut Lisa Nowak, who was accused in February of the attempted kidnapping of a romantic rival.

Panelists looked into NASA's medical and psychological screening process and addressed other behavioral issues. "Preparation for exploration class space flight requires NASA to focus much more attention on human behavior," said the report.

"Alcohol is freely used in crew quarters," the report said. "Two specific instances were described where astronauts had been so intoxicated prior to flight that flight surgeons and/or fellow astronauts raised concerns to local on-scene leadership regarding flight safety. However, the individuals were still permitted to fly."

The panel said certification of astronauts for flight duty has no method to detect drinking episodes.

It also recommended NASA develop a code of conduct for astronauts.

"In general, astronauts are highly motivated to fly," the report stated. "Opportunities to fly in space are scarce and decreasing. The criteria for flight selection and how they are applied are unknown to the astronauts. Medical and behavioral health issues are perceived as having high potential for use to eliminate astronauts from mission assignment."

The drinking allegations shocked former astronauts and came as NASA deals with the apparent sabotage of a computer bound for the orbiting international space station.

Earlier two former shuttle astronauts told CNN that the drinking allegations, if true, would be "mind-boggling."

One of the astronauts said he was not aware of anyone "unduly using alcohol prior to launch." The other said "not a chance," and added that he would have "thrown the person off the crew." Video Watch how astronauts say the revelations are "mind-boggling" »

The astronauts asked that they not be named because of the sensitive nature of the allegations.

Former NASA flight surgeon Jonathan Clark told CNN he'd never heard such reports in the past, although he said he had seen crew allowed to fly while "extremely tired" from "pre-mission fatigue." "Many of them took sleeping pills to try get some normal sleep state, and there were times when crew were groggy."

He said there are traditional pre-flight celebrations and toasting with crew members and their families, "but the times I've been involved ... there was beer and wine but there wasn't any heavy drinking."

Clark said he attended many such events as a flight surgeon or as an astronaut spouse. Clark's wife Laurel Clark was killed along with six other astronauts in the 2003 Columbia disaster.

NASA's next scheduled space shuttle mission is August 7, for the crew of the orbiter Endeavour. A NASA spokesman said an internal investigation has been launched into the sabotage of the computer and said it would be repaired and ready for next month's liftoff.
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The computer problem surfaced, NASA said, when a subcontractor who supplied the computer notified NASA. Workers checked the computer and found it was intentionally damaged.

The computer is to be installed aboard the station's U.S. laboratory to monitor sensors on the facility's truss, NASA said. It was not designed to be part of any command and control or navigation functions, he said. E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend

CNN's John Zarrella contributed to this report.

[Cocktooth]

Damn, I bet when you leave earth's atmosphere your buzz increases something fierce!!

[Repugnant Abomination]

NASA is l33t.

[f3lix]

Good thing they were warned about flying drunk. I doubt that was taught during training.

[Ugly Bastard]

NASA has some serious fucking problems. Women driving across the country wearing diapers, shuttles blowing up on re-entry, pilots getting hammered before launch. So much drama!