NASA Launch Party? Cocaine Found in Shuttle Hangar

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

(AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

NEW YORK (CBS/AP) Talk about being spaced out on the job.

This week NASA launched an investigation to find out which of its employees breached a zero-tolerance policy on drugs after cocaine was found in a space shuttle hangar. The tiny bag of "space dust" was found outside a bathroom at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA spokesman Allard Beutel said Thursday that the bag contained a tiny amount of the illegal substance. It was found by a worker in a secure part of the hangar that is accessible by about 200 NASA employees and contractors.

NASA is drug testing and interviewing workers, as well as using drug-sniffing dogs.

To make things worse for NASA, this is the same base where astronauts are due to blast off into orbit next month. While the space agency claims that the mission will not be affected, the discovery of cocaine in a hangar where space shuttles are processed before flight does raise serious safety concerns.

It turns out NASA already had a reputation for pre-gaming. Three years ago, NASA was forced to deny allegations of boozy parties in crew quarters when an official report claimed that at least two astronauts had flown into space while drunk.

Now comes the hangover.

Story contributed by Peter Shaw of 48 Hours | Mystery.

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by fedup12 January 18, 2010 9:34 PM EST: Its the only way that they can get everything done on time.

They also use meth.; Reply to this comment


by ky7474 January 18, 2010 7:38 PM EST: What do you think they sit around all day dreaming about their space flights all day? They're just exercising their creativity. Challenging their minds thus freeing their minds. This has been going on forever, get over it.; Reply to this comment

by stryker54 January 17, 2010 11:03 PM EST

It was probably a security person that had to stay awake. It was found in a hanger coming out of a bathroom that was probably for security at night. Most people in Nasa wouldn't do much like that with all the routine testing they have to do, medical testing, it would be found.

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by smith_r_d January 18, 2010 5:54 AM EST: Buddy they are no different then you and me. Get over yourself.


by jjlbragg January 18, 2010 1:00 PM EST: I TOTALLY AGREE!!!!!!!! Get over yourself!!!!! Drugs ARE drugs ARE drugs, what does it matter WHO!!!!!!!!!!!! It is WRONG!!!!!!!!!!


by eddom949 January 17, 2010 3:36 PM EST: Shut NASA down - they are operating in violation of the law. Oh, they claim it was planted? I'm very sorry, but what a disgrace after all those years and all the taxpayer money spent. Where'd you get the fuel from NASA? It's quite clear that this government is broke.; Reply to this comment


by ddaryl1 January 17, 2010 9:01 AM EST: Wow I'm shocked.... NOT!

It should never ever have found its way into any work place, and anyone who does od that should be prosecuted for it, but I stll think we can eliminate many of societies problems by legalizing it and regulating it...; Reply to this comment

by erasmus111 January 16, 2010 10:47 PM EST

There should be regular drug testing for anyone that is involved in the building, maintenance, and flying of an aircraft or anything else where people's lives are at stake. Air traffic controllers, too. People that drive buses, doctors, nurses, they all should be tested.

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by Union76 January 17, 2010 3:04 PM EST: Add the President, White House staff, and the U.S. Congress to that list. If you can't test the people that control our lives and run the country why are so concerned about a bus driver.


by Union76 January 16, 2010 2:15 PM EST: oops I meant the national debt.; Reply to this comment

by Union76 January 16, 2010 2:04 PM EST

I always thought that the NASA people were too smug and arrogant, way to much full of themselves, especially the astronauts. With a budget deficit in the TRILLIONS maybe we should put NASA on the shelf for a while.

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by mecury69 January 18, 2010 4:23 PM EST: Just jealous you don't have the right stuff.

I watched the latest class of young men and women who were accepted into Nasa for astronaut traing on the Nasa channel. There was something like 10 TOTAL, for the YEAR.

These people are the brightest and best our country has. They all had LONG lists of accomplishments and were under 30. There is simply not many other accomplishments greater than becoming an astronaut.

So, all you haters are just jealous that you life is spent on the news blog pretending to be somebody while they went out and did it.

But they are human (so there will be mistakes) and Nasa is a government agency (which means mismanagement), but don't attacking them in a broad sense is just loser talk.

by thesevenveils January 16, 2010 12:39 PM EST

Look! The picture with this caption suggests that the astronauts got all high on cocaine and then went out and burned rubber and did wheelies with the space shuttle.

The Astronauts went ROGUE!

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