Nasa refutes alcohol reports

There is no evidence astronauts were drunk or had been drinking heavily before launching into space, Nasa said today.

An internal Nasa investigation was ordered after reports of two unsubstantiated instances of heavy alcohol use before flights made headlines last month.

The report found no evidence to support the claims, but recommended the space agency explore the idea of drug and alcohol testing for astronauts and other employees.

Nasa safety chief Bryan O’Connor, a former astronaut and shuttle accident investigator, said: “I was unable to verify any case in which an astronaut spaceflight crewmember was impaired on launch day.”

He also said he could not find any case where a manager disregarded a recommendation that an astronaut should not fly.

But Mr O’Connor said Nasa doctors should play a stronger oversight role on launch day, accompanying astronauts as they suit up.

He also recommended that the space agency explore the option of drug and alcohol testing for employees, including astronauts.

Mr O’Connor’s review went back 20 years and involved interviews with 90 astronauts, flight surgeons and other Nasa officials.

He also looked through 40,134 government and contractor reports of mishaps and problems dating back to 1984 – many of them anonymous – and none of them involved alcohol or drug abuse by astronauts.

Nasa administrator Michael Griffin said pre-launch preparations for astronauts were so visible that it is nearly impossible to sneak a drink.

“I have said many times during the past weeks that NASA takes these allegations very seriously – just as we would any issues that could impact the safety of our missions,” he said.

“But at the same time, I also have said that the stories cited in the report seem improbable to those of us familiar with the astronauts’ rigorous and very public activities during the hours leading up to a space flight.”