NASA vs. MADD

Katherine Mangu-Ward | July 26, 2007

Houston doesn't seem to have a problem with drinking and driving. At least, not if you're driving a space shuttle that costs 600 million taxpayer dollars per launch. After all, who wouldn't need a little liquid courage for something like that?:

Aviation Week & Space Technology says it has obtained a draft report that says NASA allowed astronauts to fly while intoxicated on two occasions.

The respected trade publication, which doesn't identify its sources, says members of a government panel found evidence to suggest "heavy use of alcohol" by astronauts during the 12-hour period before launches. Astronauts aren't supposed to consume alcohol during that period.

Will MADD start targeting NASA, in the acronym death match for the ages? Joking aside, this does undermine the message that a drink or two turns everyone, in virtually any circumstances, into a befuddled and dangerous operator of heavy machinery. Check out the full NASA report here at noon tomorrow.