Only One Source for Astronaut Drinking Allegations
Editor’s note: Hearings are being held right now regarding the Astronaut Health Report issued in July by the NASA Astronaut Health Care System Review Committee. According to its chair, Col. Richard Bachmann, Jr., the allegation about astronaut drinking was only made by one NASA individual – and made only to one member of Bachmann’s committee. It would seem that Bachmann’s committee never tried to corroborate this information by finding other sources. Instead, they just published it as fact. So much for being thorough.
“Today you have heard Mr. O’Connor provide details of his investigation and findings. After reviewing 20 years’ worth of records and interviewing scores of NASA personnel who are personally involved in, or witness to, the critical path for astronaut flight safety in the hours before launch, Mr. O’Connor was unable to find any evidence to support the claims that astronauts were ever impaired by alcohol at launch time. In fact, NASA’s flight surgeons have placed their names on a communication saying that they have no evidence of alcohol impairment by astronauts on flight day, or any instances of their concerns to management being disregarded.”
Hearing Charter – Health Care of NASA Astronaut Corps
Opening Statement By Richard Bachmann
Opening Statement By Bryan O’Connor
Opening Statement By Ellen Ochoa
Opening Statement By Richard Williams
