Sat, Jul 28, 2007
Cites Two Occasions Of Concerns By Flight Surgeons
Is
alcohol an ingredient for the "right stuff?" A NASA report released
Friday reveals on at least two occasions, astronauts were allowed
to head into orbit... despite showing signs of being
intoxicated.
As ANN reported, NASA
Administrator Michael Griffin called for investigations by the NASA
Astronaut Health Care System Review Committee into the physical and
emotional states of the agency's astronauts, following the February
arrest of then-spacefarer Lisa Nowak. The agency conducted one;
Johnson Space Center in Houston conducted its own internal
investigation
NASA told Reuters the agency will look into allegations made on
the report, that say on two occasions astronauts were permitted to
fly into space, despite evidence of "heavy use of alcohol by
astronauts in the immediate preflight period."
"Alcohol is freely used in crew quarters." the report continues.
"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 medical certification of astronauts for flight duty is not
structured to detect such episodes, nor is any medical surveillance
program by itself likely to detect them or change the pattern of
alcohol use," the report added.
According to the agency, in the past NASA has based its alcohol
consumption policy for astronauts, on the requirements for flying
its planes. The agency has amended its requirements, based on the
agency’s T-38 aircraft policy. The interim policy prohibits
alcohol consumption within 12 hours prior to flight... and mandates
all astronauts neither be under the influence nor the effects of
alcohol at the time of launch.
"All astronauts will be educated on the policy," the agency
added.
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