Surveys Show Allegations Were False

NASA found itself in the uncomfortable position this week of disputing a report the agency itself had commissioned. On Wednesday, the space agency said a report released last year -- at NASA's request -- that accused astronauts of flying into orbit while intoxicated, had no merit whatsoever.

The space agency amended the earlier conclusions after interviewing 91 percent of its astronauts and flight surgeons, reports The Associated Press. Results of that survey were released online Wednesday.

"In response to a direct question regarding personal observations, all respondents reported never witnessing a crew member consume alcohol, on launch day, in the time leading up to launch," NASA said in its report.

As ANN reported, the space agency -- stinging from media reports regarding the February 2007 arrest of (now-former) NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak, on charges of attempted kidnapping -- commissioned the report to examine potential health issues, both physical and mental, among its astronaut corps.

The study, completed by an outside panel of doctors, engineers, and present and former astronauts, was released in July... and said there were two cases of inebriated astronauts flying into orbit onboard the space shuttle. The report did not name names, or specific flights on which the alleged incidents occurred.

NASA was quick to downplay the allegations in the report. In August 2007, agency administrator Michael Griffin said he would be "extraordinarily surprised" if the accusations were proven true.

"So far we haven't uncovered an issue," said Ellen Ochoa, deputy director for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, in a Wednesday news conference.

"We're always interested in any factor that could affect crew performance and we would follow up on anything that we thought would affect performance. ... Astronauts are very professional and when they're preparing for launch, they prepare for it as the most serious endeavor of our lives," Ochoa asserted.

Ochoa did acknowledge one incident of "perceived impairment of a crew member," that occurred during the final day of launch -- but not on a launch day, or within 12 hours of a launch. "The incident involved prescription medicine and alcohol," she said.

Dr. Richard Williams, NASA's chief health and medical officer, said "in the incident that was referred to in the survey, the individual was judged clear and medically fit to fly."

He did not elaborate, or name the afflicted astronaut, citing privacy concerns.

FMI: Read The NASA Report (.pdf)