NASA astronauts drunk at launch. Well, wouldn't you be?

NASA is apparently disgusted and horrified & etc. at their space jockeys turning up at launch with a couple under the belt, so to speak. Considering they have to do the human equivalent of Wile E. Coyote strapping himself to a ten-storey firework over which he has no control, I'd be having more than just a couple of drinks; secure in the knowledge that it would make fuck-all difference whether I was sober or not.

The Challenger disaster proved that if something went wrong at launch, you wouldn't even have time to press a button to dump the rocket booster - let alone get off a quick text message to the wife, telling her you love her and to raise the kids Presbyterian. Hardly the long drawn-out and tense atmosphere of the 'Apollo 13' rescue is it? I can picture Tom Hanks in a studio meeting, scratching his head in that puzzled manner of his and saying exasperatedly - "The movie is only 40 seconds long, I only have one line, and that's 'Aaaaarg...'? No, it's not for me thanks."

Also, since a shuttle exploded on the way back, you could be sure that one of the pockets of my flight suit would contain a flask as big as a family-size Lenor bottle full to the brim with Chivas Regal, just for the journey home. Bollocks to NASA. If you don't want your astronauts to turn up for work drunk, stop making space shuttles out of bin lids and gaffer tape.