Posted: Thu, Aug 9, 2007, 8:04 AM ET (1204 GMT)
NASA officials said yesterday that an internal review has failed to turn up any evidence to date that astronauts were intoxicated during shuttle launches or other flight activities. The review, being led by former astronaut Bryan O'Connor, the agency's chief of safety and mission assurance, was started last month after an independent review of overall astronaut health issues claimed that there were at least two occasions where astronauts were intoxicated to the point where others were concerned about mission safety. Agency officials said a review of the last ten years of shuttle missions failed to turn up evidence of the allegations, but the investigation would continue until all shuttle missions are reviewed. NASA administrator Mike Griffin said Wednesday that he has "difficulty attaching credibility to the charges" leveled in last month's report. NASA plans to complete its internal review before a September 6th congressional hearing on the subject.
