Report: Drunk astronauts were allowed to fly

The Miama Herald ^ | July 26, 2007 | MARTIN MERZER

[Joe 6-pack]

"Tang and Vodka...MMMMMMM GOOD."

With that combo you can simultaneously exceed the legal limit and the recommended daily allowance!!

[Cyman]

I have always felt that there was little out there that could stun me but I am truly shocked by this news!

[rlmorel]

ROTFLMAO...

I just KNEW this would be a good thread to visit...:)

[Still Thinking]

I’d also be interested to know what constitutes “so intoxicated as to be a flight safety risk”. Is it the MADD definition (you can spell “alcohol”), or one reflecting reality?

[JZelle]

I wonder what a zero gravity sobriety test would be like? Float in a straight line?

[Diogenesis]

BFD. EtOH is a powerful radiation protector.
They were going beyond the van Allen belts and needed the protection.

[vetsvette]

The “right stuff” is certainly an outdated descriptor.

[CholeraJoe]

I was never a Flight surgeon for NASA, just the USAF. You can bet that if I had ever grounded a pilot for being intoxicated, no Wing Commander or General officer would have EVER risked over-ruling me except in case of an impending nuclear war.

I grounded a helo pilot for eating a small piece of rum cake once. We were sitting in the ops room and I told him not to eat it because I could smell the booze in it. He took one bite and I grounded him on the spot. He was mad but the Squadron Commander ripped him a new one for doing it.

[backhoe]

Although it's certainly no excuse, it's easily understandable that anyone being asked to sit on top of a giant bomb that was built at low bid might be wanting a bit of a bracer...

My favorite Doc always cracked me up when he'd start minor surgery on me or my first wife with,

"Dammit Nurse! Where's that Scotch-- I need a drink to steady my hands..."

[NonValueAdded]

Bill Dana wasn’t off the mark, then. /obscure

[Fester Chugabrew]

We’re they, perchance, wearing diapers too?

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Not only that but the whole thing was built by the lowest bidder, something that has to be playing in the back of all of their minds at one time or another.

[hiramknight]

Let’s see here. In the morning, I’m going to be strapped to a fuel tank filled with millions of gallons of liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen, monomethyl hydrazine, nitrogen tetroxide, solid rocket fuel and amonia. Then they’re going to put a match to it. Then they’re going to cut it loose and let the 7.125 million pounds of thrust take me from 0 mph to 17,500 mph in about ten minutes, when I’ll be 280 miles higher, in an enviroment that’s 400 degrees colder, with nothing seperating me from the vacuum of space except about a 1/4” of aluminum.........Dude, pass me another beer will ‘ya.

[TalonDJ]

I have always felt that there was little out there that could stun me but I am truly shocked by this news!

I really wish this was shocking to me.

[BallyBill]

In “The Right Stuff” the showed Grissom at a bar with the dimes he was going to take with him on the launch. It sure seemed like this was the night before the launch. I’m sure Hollywood wouldn’t mislead me!

[U S Army EOD]

I would hate to find some guy pasted out in the cockpit with crumbs on his face.

[Jack Hammer]

You certainly wouldn’t get ME up in one of those things without about a fifth of Scotch under my belt.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Maybe they drink because of this:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1872104/posts

[NonValueAdded]

Jose Jimenez: The most important thing in rocket travel is the blast-off. I always take a blast before I take off! Otherwise, I wouldn't go near that thing!

[Ditto]

Don’t know if they ever flew drunk, but I do know that the “Right Stuff” guys back in the 60s were for the most part, real party animals and did enjoy their adult beverages.