Thursday, January 14, 2010

NASA finds illegal drugs in shuttle hangar

NASA found a small amount of a controlled substance confirmed to be cocaine in a shuttle processing hangar this week and employees who work in the facility are being tested, Kennedy Space Center officials said today.

KSC spokeswoman Lisa Malone said the substance was found in an area where workers have to swipe in electronically with identification cards. Those employees have been targeted for testing.

The substance was found in Orbiter Processing Facility No. 3, where Discovery is being prepared for a March launch to the International Space Station.

An employee found a small plastic bag on the floor outside a bathroom on Tuesday morning and immediately contacted spaceport security. Drug tests began Wednesday.

About 200 NASA and contractor employees had access to the restricted area.

Both NASA and its contractors have zero-tolerance drug policies.

In addition to investigating the criminal matter, NASA will conduct a review of work performed on the spaceship to double-check that there are no quality control problems.

Processing of the vehicle continues, and the incident so far is not expected to impact the upcoming mission.



49 comments:

Anonymous said...

This does not come as a shock!

Anonymous said...

So how much cocaine does one have to process before reaching orbit?

Anonymous said...

Thnigs go better with Coke...

Anonymous said...

alternate fuel source?

Anonymous said...

While I am not against recreational drug use, drugs in the workplace are bad practice. Somebody has a problem and has gone from recreational use to dependency.

Anonymous said...

Coke stays in your system for 48 hrs. So a Drug test 6 days later will not solve anything.

Anonymous said...

I would be more concerned about quality control if the substance was pot or booze. Coke-heads are usually very efficient and effective- at least until their head or heart explodes.

As we saw with Buzz Aldrin, no group is immune from human frailties. I hope that the offender gets the help that he/she needs.

Anonymous said...

Dammit Jimmy.

Anonymous said...

Is this reall news?

Anonymous said...

So they'll get a bunch of people for pot instead.

Anonymous said...

It's high time they did something about this.

Anonymous said...

"While I am not against recreational drug use, drugs in the workplace are bad practice. Somebody has a problem and has gone from recreational use to dependency."

Either that, or someone was making an exchange.

Anonymous said...

See, it does snow in Florida.

Anonymous said...

So question how long had the bag been sitting there ? Everyone who goes into the building needs to be tested the bathrooms are located in a hall way NOT INSIDE THE BAY. They need to test everyone who has the badge number on there badge and look to see if they had been in that building within the last month. Who's to say that person really works in that bay area they might have there office some place else on the bases.

Anonymous said...

"Either that, or someone was making an exchange."

In an OPF ?
Man, I wouldn't think anybody would be that dumb.

Anonymous said...

"Coke stays in your system for 48 hrs. So a Drug test 6 days later will not solve anything."

Where do you get 6 days later from? It was found Tuesday, they started drug testing the next day. So they should be able find the coke head, not to mention a few of pot heads thrown in for free, sucks to be them!

Anonymous said...

Is is completely out of the freaking question to demand that anyone who's job discription requires them to carriy a gun, pilot an aircraft with passengers, and certainly anyone who launches humans into freaking space - should be drug tested once a month!!

Anonymous said...

Just shows that EVERYONE is an expert...

Yes, it was found IN the high-bay...there ARE bathrooms INSIDE of OPF3...I suggest we test YOU first!

Anonymous said...

Gee, what a shock. The only people in Brevard county with a job (for now) and FT is surprised that drugs are found there. BTW did anyone give that Nowack chick a pi$$ test?

Anonymous said...

"discription"
"carriy"

Excellent edgeamacation!

Anonymous said...

"So question how long had the bag been sitting there ? Everyone who goes into the building needs to be tested the bathrooms are located in a hall way NOT INSIDE THE BAY. They need to test everyone who has the badge number on there badge and look to see if they had been in that building within the last month. Who's to say that person really works in that bay area they might have there office some place else on the bases."

Not true, actually Bay 3 is the only one that has an interior bathroom and that's where it was found, so they know everyone who swiped in and out that day.

Anonymous said...

You have to be on drugs to put up with people at KSC!

Anonymous said...

You can piss test me all you want I did take great pride in working on the shuttle when I worked there I retired. What about back in the early days when OPF Bay 1 & 2 had all those Calif nuts here TDY smoking pot on top of the roofs and sun bathing nude.

Anonymous said...

I like working at KSC. So, someone out there takes drugs, so what ? They are part of society and we have some drug addicts in our society. Deal with it appropriately and move on. It's a great place with an incredible history. Hell, it's the location of the single greatest scientific accomplishment of the human race. How soon we forget.

Anonymous said...

Don't worry this will soon be over. 5 more flights.

If anyone tells me to piss in a bottle, they better be drinking it.

Anonymous said...

I'd like to thatnk the honest worker who turned in my lost stash. Did the article mention where I can pick it up?

Anonymous said...

"technicians who work in the facility are being tested." It always cracks me up that the techs are the bad guys at KSC. I am an engineer and there are plenty of us, quality, logitics, managers, operations and others that were in that facility. I think a better choice of words would be "personnel." Give the techs a break - there is enough crap going on right now without labling them as "druggies."

Anonymous said...

So question how long had the bag been sitting there ? Everyone who goes into the building needs to be tested the bathrooms are located in a hall way NOT INSIDE THE BAY. They need to test everyone who has the badge number on there badge and look to see if they had been in that building within the last month. Who's to say that person really works in that bay area they might have there office some place else on the bases.

I used to work in bay 3, and there is a bathroom inside the bay, near the OPS desk.

Anonymous said...

The real deal...It's crunch time for United Space Alliance, with the Shuttle fleet being retired here very soon you will start to see more and more people turning on each other so that they may keep their own job (Dog eat Dog world). That coke was planted so it could be found. Its protocol for NASA and its sub contractors to have drug testing administered, especially when substances such as this are found. Some people if found guilty, will lose their jobs... But just a thought "If you’re not doing anything in the first place, you shouldn’t have nothing to worry about" Take that to the bank.............

Anonymous said...

The Masons made it happen.....

Anonymous said...

Wow- they actual changed the story to remove the "technicians" reference. I am sure the technician workforce thanks you - be lucky you didn't get a "grievance" filed against you.

Anonymous said...

No surprise to me. Those lazy bums probably all sit around snorting, they sure as hell can't launch payloads! Scrap the whole program and forget the drug test!

Anonymous said...

This web page is crummy! How about a real comments page. What are you guys screening? Profanity? Give me a break! You should see by the number of comments posted to the majority of your articles, that no one cares. And this is the Space Coast!

Anonymous said...

I can see by reading the various snippets that a lot of people do not hold the "Space Center" workers in very high regard. It is a shame that the perception is such. Comments like, "Gee, what a shock. The only people in Brevard county with a job (for now) and FT is surprised that drugs are found there. BTW did anyone give that Nowack chick a pi$$ test?" or "You have to be on drugs to put up with people at KSC!"

The work that the vast majority of people do at KSC is very dedicated and worth while work. All entities have their bad apples. Sports, CEOs, Construction Workers, Aerospace Workers, Airline Pilots, etc. are not immune. The list goes on and on. Only thing, when they work in a "low visibility" job, their indiscretions don't make the front page of the paper. The crime is the same. Working at the Space Center is like center stage and has the eye of a lot of American people. People are people--does not matter where they earn their living. One would only hope that all people would refrain from drug use; however, to degrade all workers at the space center is absurd.

Anonymous said...

THANKS FLORIDA TODAY. ONE STUPID SPACE WORKER + ONE LOCAL PAPER= ANOTHER NAIL IN THE COFFIN OF THE SPACE PROGRAM.99.9% OF THE SPACE WORKERS DON'T DO DRUGS. MAYBE YOU CAN BEAT THE SENTINAL FOR USLESS COVERAGE OF A STORY OVER AND OVER. BY THE WAY I'LL BE CANCELING THAT SUBSCRIPTION. ALONG WITH THE OTHER 7,000 PEOPLE THAT WILL GET LAID-OFF

Bruce said...

They must be making too much money, if someone can afford cocaine.

Anonymous said...

This is an unfortunate circumstance, and I do agree that action should be taken, as it would be no matter what the location. But I am saddened by the immaturity of many of the comments made here. If you want to say something intelligent, by all means. But the mindless comments just fuel the opinion that people working at KSC are worthless and stupid, and many are good, hardworking people. When you have the immaturity that SOME of them demonstrate, it begs the comment that, with people like that working out there, there is always room for layoffs. If we could weed out and get rid of the mindless immaturity, we might be better focused on the job at hand, no matter how short the time span. And there will be other programs out there. Shuttle is ending, but Space exploration goes on. And those that will be be retained or hired will not be those that make stupid comments or are satisfied with "squeaking by" performance. They never grow up, abuse the system, medical benefits, and anything else they can. Grow up, and find something more productive to contribute to society, or get out of the way of those who actually do want to make a difference. I am proud to be working for the space program for over 34 years. I remember good times, and bad, and I am someone who loves my job and gives back to the community. People need to grow up and act appropriately. You are only shooting yourself in the foot.

Anonymous said...

Whoops! That wasn't cocaine, that was frost. Sorry, we're not used to seeing white powdery stuff down here...

Anonymous said...

The Masons made it happen...Your A Loser

Anonymous said...

I think a lot more people out there are doing a lot more things that are not reported. It sucks when you get caught.

Anonymous said...

Don't kid yourselves. Think about it... most drug addicts/users know where every single molecule of their drugs are at. Very rare for them to just lose it, especially not expensive cocaine.

It's quite likely that the drugs were planted. It could have been planted by an employee so that a known drug using coworker would be fired when they tested everybody. That let's the planter keep his job.

On the other hand, who has the most vested financial interest in getting rid of lots of employees? Those big bonuses to stay on until the program cost a lot... and if you can fire a bunch of people you don't have to pay them severance.

And then there's NASA itself... I have noticed a huge increase in the "head hunting" out there. From ridiculous focus on speeding tickets, to cell phones, to IT security and computer usage, to minor safety violations, they are looking to fire people. It seems to be directed from senior management. Think about it... if they can fire 1,000 people then they only have to lay off 6,000 people instead of 7,000. They "saved" 1,000 jobs. What a great way to twist numbers.

They are all working together. If you are reading this and work out there, watch out!

Anonymous said...

In OPF 3, there IS a bathroom INSIDE the processing bay.

Anonymous said...

What about the NASA guests that routinely come in who also use those same bathrooms? Their not badged or drug tested. If your going to give a test then test all shifts and all companies that have used the facilities in the last week. Bay 3 bathrooms are NEVER as clean as bay 1&2.

Anonymous said...

You want to bet there's alot of KSC workers depleting the stock of drug masking products off of the health food shelves this weekend? They even keep them in their lockers incase they get popped for a pee test - management included. Interview the health product stores - I'm sure you can get some consumer statistics there.

Anonymous said...

How about an update on this story! It has been a week. Anyone fired. Were NASA personnel tested? The dogs find anything else when they brought them through? How many people failed the test? How are senior NASA leaders reacting to this? Does this hurt USA's chances for any follow-on contracts. How pure was the coke? How much? less than an ounce could be A LOT. What federal charges could be filed? Were any finger prints found on the bag? There is more..do some digging. Biggest "employee" related story out here since the strike and FT has went to sleep on it... Or is it just suppose to fade away...

James Dean said...

We are continuing to ask NASA questions about this story. Officially, the answers to most of them for now are being withheld as part of the "ongoing investigation." So we'll follow up when we have new information that can be verified.

Anonymous said...

I heard there were 4 firings on Friday and about 14 "voluntarily" resigned....not sure how accurate this is......

Anonymous said...

And there is the problem... There is more to this story than just the NASA party line and their "official" investigation. Not that the PAO would ever "direct" how FT would ever write a story, but perhaps they would like to steer this one. It seems that it might be pretty messy to clean up in a difficult time in the budget cycle process. Hiding under the "ongoing investigation" clause is always a great way to let the story cool off while that investigation takes months.
Lets touch on a few issues:
1. KSC is not a top secret facility were no one talks. Everyone runs their mouth - from the top down. If you really wanted to have reliable source information, you could get it tomorrow. That would mean a bit of investigation work and not just a call to PAO and a quick scan of the press releases.
2. How big a problem is drug use at KSC? Maybe some stats, policies, human interest on maybe someone that has been fired for it.
3. 6 months from now when USA has a new contract, it would have been nice to know what was actually going on in the OPF bays. Maybe do some gum-shoe work in Cocoa or Titusville in the drug areas or talk to some of your sources and see if perhaps there are some dealers catering to employees out there. Start with a higher level dealer and work you way down...Come on guys it isn't that hard! This isn't NY. You have a few sources for that type of drug in this area. ou don't think all the money is coming for those areas crack population do you?
4. Talk to some people out there about how they feel about this and what it is doing to their moral and how they are dealing with all the suspicion and snide comments. Talk to them about how they feel about this entire chain of events. Perhaps even get some information on how they might feel about another employee "planting" this drug to punish others or the contractor.

There is a bunch more. I certainly understand the need for sources and not rumor. However, there is work to be done here and a story to be written. It might not be flattening for NASA or it contractor, but there is a story. I honestly would have more respect for FT if they just said we don't have the budget or manpower to chase this one. However to say you are waiting on the "official investigation" results is being a puppet for the largest employer in the area and maintaining your "seat at the table." Get out there a piss some people off for once and get a story....

James Dean said...

Anonymous: Thanks for the advice. Here's a tidbit: This isn't the first drug possession investigation at KSC, but center security investigated no cases in 2009, according to NASA.