What Drugs Do Astronauts Take? 132
astroengine writes "Science fiction is stuffed full of examples of pill-popping space explorers and aliens enjoying psychedelic highs. After all, space is big; it can get boring/scary/crazy up there. It's little wonder, then, that our current space explorers consume a cocktail of uppers, downers, tranquilizers and alcohol to get the job done. Robert Lamb on tranquilizers in the space station: 'Sure, it hardly makes for a civilized evening aboard ISS, but it beats someone blowing the hatch because they think they saw something crawling on one of the solar panels.'"
You ever... (Score:5, Funny)
You ever watch C beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate... on weed?
New technical problems on the ISS . . . (Score:4, Funny)
. . . the bong is busted. First the bog, and now the bong . . . hopefully the crack pipe will keep going . . .
Dude.... (Score:5, Funny)
I'm not sure what they take, but whatever they are, they are out of this world...
Please untie all of this duct tape! (Score:5, Funny)
Please do try a diazepam or alprazolam Dave, they will surely calm you down.
Don't worry (Score:2, Funny)
Don't forget the viagra (Score:4, Funny)
...for all the secret space sex experiments the NASA conspiracy nuts think are going on, and because they need to keep their bat servicable when they casually let it slip that they're an astronaut in all the bars around KSC.
They snort Tang (Score:3, Funny)
Orange flavor
Obligatory (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Don't worry (Score:3, Funny)
Yeah... I'm still not sure it counts as merely 'stoned' when the cumulative mass of the lines of coke you've just snorted is several times greater than that of your body.
Hmm (Score:2, Funny)
Whatever they use, it sure as hell gets them High!
Re:Dude.... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Psilocybin Mushrooms (Score:1, Funny)
Yeah, and why does a hyper-dimensional alien artifact type its messages with caps lock on, like a retard?
Re:Lies, Damn Lies and "Science" Articles (Score:3, Funny)
This article should be in "Entertainment".
It is a light hearted article to be sure so let's not be "hasty" about making "claims" suggesting that is has no "reason" to be in a popular science "web site."
Or why NASA is having them take a "cocktail" to "get the job done" which would, if the description is accurate, prevent the job from getting done if not kill them (alcohol + uppers + downers + tranqs? Anyone remember Karen Ann Quinlan?)
More "sensationalism" in response to a light hearted "article". So let's be serious for a "momen..." er, moment.
As noted by our fine poster, DynaSor (hey, I like that name [wikipedia.org]) must know, NASA prefers that astronauts refrain from using any drugs especially while performing critical activities such as launch, reentry, and EVA. If they needed medications on a regular basis that would not be acceptable in medically certified pilot, they would not be astronauts since there is certainly no shortage of qualified candidates. That noted, it would be irresponsible for NASA to jeopardize a mission or well being of crew members not to make drugs available on high profile multi-million dollar missions that are part of a multi-billion dollar program.
Alas, the simple mention of the the word "drug" triggers bizarre and irrational reactions from many, many people who are conditioned by propaganda and misinformation thrown at them from many groups (religions, politicians, pharmaceutical corporations, etc.) each with their own agenda. Ignorance and rationalization run rampant. It's not at all difficult to imagine listening to a patron sitting at a bar pontificate about how drug use is leading society to Hell in a hand-basket while gulping down cups of black coffee that he hopes will sober him up enough (it won't) so that he can drive home without fear of getting pulled over and get charged with a DWI. (For the uninformed, alcohol and caffeine are, indeed, drugs.)
However, I was prompted to reply when reading this in TFA:
Modafinil: You may know it as Provigil, Alertec, Vigicer or Modalert, but astronauts know it as the upper they take when sleep isn't an option.
Modafinil is not an "upper" in the generally recognized sense. Wikipedia says this about Modafinil [wikipedia.org]:
...like other stimulants, [it] increases the release of monoamines... . However, modafinil also elevates hypothalamic histamine levels, leading some researchers to consider Modafinil a "wakefulness promoting agent" rather than a classic amphetamine-like stimulant. ... Despite modafinil's histaminergic action, it still partially shares the actions of amphetamine-class stimulants due to its effects on norepinephrine and dopamine.
One can be administered Modafinil and fall asleep without undue problems. Suffice it to say that it is misleading to simply lump Modafinil with stimulants such as amphetamines and Ritalin that are routinely put to recreational use.
Therefore, I would say the major shortcoming of TFA is that it plays on the fears and misconceptions of readers to garner undeserved attention to a subject that could otherwise be more interesting and informative.
Re:Let's see how... (correction) (Score:1, Funny)
The movie theater is going to be full of 14 yo's ? SCORE !
Re:They snort Tang (Score:1, Funny)
Is there any other flavor of powdered Tang?
Well, if you mix it with the laxative juice from dried plums, you have PruneTang.