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What Drugs Do Astronauts Take?

Posted by Soulskill on from the just-boosterspice-for-me-thanks dept.

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.'"

3 of 132 comments (clear)

  1. ah duct tape.... by Shakrai · · Score: 5, Interesting

    That ever useful tool. However would we have gone to the stars without it?

    Yes, according to a 2007 report from the Associated Press, astronauts keep a few tranqs on hand in case anyone goes all suicidal or psychotic in space. NASA recommends binding the individual's wrists and ankles with duct tape (ever the space traveler's friend!), strapping them down with a bungee cord and, if necessary, sticking them with a tranquilizer.

    Has any sci-fi show other than Firefly ever mentioned duct tape?

    --
    I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
    We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
    1. Re:ah duct tape.... by DerekLyons · · Score: 3, Interesting

      FWIW, when I was in the [USN] Submarine Service, we were prepared to do the same thing if a crew member went off the rails. (Though the doc had a couple of sets of soft restraints we'd use instead of tape.)
       
      That being said, we did use 'EB Green' (a tape that makes the useless crap falsely sold to John Q public as 'duct tape' look like tissue paper) for a wide variety of things.

  2. Blood of Christ? by maggotbrain_777 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Aldrin took communion on the moon? I had never heard that.