# Kinda Brings New Meaning to Alan Shepard's Famous Quote **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 26, 2007, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinda-brings-new-meaning-to-alan-shepards-famous-quote/413281 "2007-07-26T20:17:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinda-brings-new-meaning-to-alan-shepards-famous-quote/413281/1 "2007-07-26T20:17:01Z")
You know, “Let’s light this candle.” [It seems some shuttle astronauts were “lit” before liftoff.](http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/drunk072607.xml&headline=Panel%20Finds%20Astronauts%20Flew%20While%20Intoxicated&channel=space) > [@](#): > > A panel reviewing astronaut health issues in the wake of the Lisa Nowak arrest has found that on at least two occasions astronauts were allowed to fly after flight surgeons and other astronauts warned they were so intoxicated that they posed a flight-safety risk. > > The panel, also reported “heavy use of alcohol” by astronauts before launch, within the standard 12-hour “bottle to throttle” rule applied to NASA flight crew members. > > A NASA spokesman declined comment on the findings, which were obtained by Aviation Week & Space Technology. The spokesman said a press conference has tentatively been scheduled for Friday afternoon on the issue. At the direction of Administrator Michael Griffin, NASA Chief Medical Officer Dr. Richard S. Williams set up the panel to review astronaut medical and psychological screening after Nowak was arrested in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 5 on charges of attempted murder and attempted kidnapping for allegedly stalking and threatening a woman who was dating another astronaut. The attempted murder charge was subsequently dropped. While I agree that astronauts shouldn’t be drunk at the controls, I disagree with NASA not allowing them to take booze up there with them. I can’t think of anything that’d be more fun (other than sex) to do when you’re weightless. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinda-brings-new-meaning-to-alan-shepards-famous-quote/413281/2 "2007-07-26T20:50:51Z")
I dunno man, I can sum this as being a bad idea in two words: “Weightless vomit” ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinda-brings-new-meaning-to-alan-shepards-famous-quote/413281/3 "2007-07-26T21:17:04Z")
Hey, you know the astronaut’s code: “If you _can’t_ hold your lunch, you’re a groundhog!” I don’t see anything in there that says your lunch _can’t_ be liquid. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinda-brings-new-meaning-to-alan-shepards-famous-quote/413281/4 "2007-07-27T04:36:06Z")
Maybe they figured if anything REALLY went wrong, they’d be toast anyway. Sitting atop that monster rocket --in a craft that has disintegrated more than once – would scare the sh\*t out of anyone. A drink or three before dying? Totally inexcusable, but I think I can understand. If your astronauts are human, things like this happen. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinda-brings-new-meaning-to-alan-shepards-famous-quote/413281/5 "2007-07-27T10:16:25Z")
“I’m Mishsish Neshbit!” ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinda-brings-new-meaning-to-alan-shepards-famous-quote/413281/6 "2007-07-27T10:52:01Z")
I don’t understand how they let them launch if the flight surgeons knew they’d been drinking, and posed a “flight safety risk.” They go to such extremes to check all the mechanics, and then they let them take off while intoxicated? That just seems crazy. Lisa Nowak is nothing in comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinda-brings-new-meaning-to-alan-shepards-famous-quote/413281/7 "2007-07-27T11:16:21Z")
This whole story is unbelievable. As in, not believable. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kinda-brings-new-meaning-to-alan-shepards-famous-quote/413281/8 "2007-07-27T12:49:54Z")
According to a BBC radio interview with a former astronaut, he says it’s flatly impossible that this could have happened. NASA’s supposed to have a press conference today, so presumably we’ll find out what the deal is.