In a debunking of an independent review last year, NASA astronauts and flight surgeons say they never have seen an inebriated flight crew member on launch day or within 12 hours of a liftoff.
The finding came in a report released today on an anonymous health care survey of astronauts and flight surgeons that was taken in the wake of the arrest last February of former astronaut Lisa Nowak in a bizarre felony assault case.
All 31 of NASA's flight surgeons and 87 of 98 NASA astronauts responded to the survey. The survey uncovered one instance in which an astronaut appeared to be inebriated during the final run-up to launch, but that the astronaut did not break a 12-hour bottle-to-throttle policy. Flight surgeons and medical personnel investigated the situation and determined there was no mission impact and the unidentified astronaut was cleared for flight. Medical privacy rules prohibit the release of additional information, NASA said.
You can read the entire report here: Astronaut%26FlightSurgeonSurvey.pdf
The survey followed a comprehensive review of health services that was conducted by an external committee that alleged astronauts drank heavily prior to launches -- an allegation that was loudly denied by the agency and flight crew members.
NASA officials say the final report on the survey will be used to develop specific action plans to address any needed changes in its organizational policies and procedures governing astronaut health care.
IMAGE NOTE: Click to enlarge the NASA photo of the STS-122 astronauts departing crew quarters during a launch-day dress rehearsal last year. Their mission now is scheduled for liftoff on Feb. 7.
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