Parlor Spider...Step In, Little Fly

Insightful thoughts and/or rants from atop the soapbox from one who wishes to share the "right" opinion with everyone.

Sunday, July 29, 2007

DUI @ NASA

It may just be me, but I find the latest flap over alcohol at NASA to be a bit amusing. It seems that there are no specific rules about such a thing with astronauts who, after all, don't fly for Northwest Airlines, yet a recent report hinted that some astronauts might have been a bit tipsy before, during or after takeoff. Like a Congressional committee, no names were mentioned, but just the allegation was enough to send NASA into prevention mode... something like the Tour de France's witch hunt for doping. (The next thing you know, they'll disqualify Contador because he obviously gained an advantage in 2004 when he had surgery for a brain aneurysm!)
Anyway, I fail to see the big deal: it's not like the asronauts have to actually FLY the rocket as it takes off and blasts into space where it could hit...what? Given the complexity of a mission to actually hit something like the moon, I would suggest that the chances of an imbibing astronaut crashing into space stuff are somewhat slim. D'oh!
Besides, I know plenty of people whose last act before taking off and first act after becoming airborne is to have a drink...or take another drug of choice. Face it, flying is terrifying; therefore, blasting off in a rocket can be no less so especially when disaster is a real possibility which has nothing to do with who's in the cockpit.
Astronauts are placed in quarantine a week prior to liftoff, and there's probably very little to do to relax. Somehow, a spirited game of ping pong with the co-pilot would not be MY choice if Stoli were available. So now, NASA has to limit the opportunities for its astronauts to imbibe prior to liftoff. Look for breathalyzers on the launch pad in the near future! (and exactly what would the "legal" limit be?) More for NASA to ponder in addition to the styrofoam stuff falling off.
Me? I'd be testing the computer operators on the ground before I worried about the folks in the shuttle.

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