Does NASA really give suicide pills to astronauts?

Question

There was a scene in either "Contact" or "Armageddon", I forget which, but in the scene they discuss this. That can't be right, can it?

By "right", I mean factually, not morally.

Answer 1

NASA and the astronauts who have been interviewed say "no". But, you cannot prove a negative, and so, I doubt that you will ever get an answer that you find satisfactory.

Answer 2

Both those films are non-factual.

If you watch Appollo 13, which is based on true events, you will be struck by how ingenious those astronauts had to be when they were in trouble, and how hard the ground crews co-operated with them. Like, there was one point where they were slowly losing the concentration of oxygen in the cabin of the space shuttle, and had to build a new filter to have any chance of bringing the ship back to Earth. All the astronauts had was the stuff hanging about in the cabin, like sticky tape, a few plastic bags, some pens, stuff like that! The scientists on the ground had about two hours to work out how to build a filter out of that stuff before the crew would die of asphyxiation, but they worked out how to do it, and then instructed the crew over the radio how to do it, and it worked! A real life McGuyver or BA Baracus maneuver... but what impresses you is the resolve of those men to come back alive... I get the feeling that they couldn't have shown that resolve if they'd been briefed to commit suicide if things were hopeless....

Interesting subject though, I've turned up a Wiki on space disaster for you: apparently, astronauts have a 5% casulty rate (22 deaths), but the number of ground crew who die is much larger. Read on! It doesn't seem as if any of those space deaths were due to suicide, but then, that information could have been supressed.

Answer 3

Why would you ever need a suicide pill in space? All you have to do to kill yourself is open the door!

NASA does not provide suicide pills because the astronauts are trained engineers and never give up. If the situation does become hopeless they can simply open a valve and depressurise the cabin, letting all the air bleed away.

Once, Buzz Aldrin was asked what he would do if, when he was on the Moon, the LM engine failed and he couldn't get off it again. How would he spend the time? The interviewer was probably hoping for some profound 'make peace with God and wait for the end knowing I did my best blah blah blah.' What he got was the answer: 'I'd be trying to get the engine working.'

Answer 4

Astronauts have on no account, no longer as quickly as, been given any form of suicide tablet. For one situation, if something got here approximately that did no longer on the instant end their lives they could be spending their residing moments attempting to restoration the concern, or deliver mutually greater advice for relay to Earth. If certainly they are in an somewhat hopeless difficulty, why could they choose a suicide tablet? they are in area! they are in a position to vent the air from the spacecraft, which will kill them extremely effectively. in the previous Apollo 11, Buzz Aldrin replaced into asked what he could do in the event that they found they could no longer ignite the engine that could desire to get them off the Moon; how could he spend his final moments? Aldrin's respond: he'd be attempting to get the engine working!

Answer 5

Hi Ephraim,
You are correct in thinking that total switch-off pills are aboard
flight missions. I can't here say exactly why, as I am bound up in red tape, but it is for two reasons. Firstly, if the whole show goes haywire, and you are going to perish horribly anyway, you have that option. Secondly, if you bung the thing down into hostile territory, you cannot be questioned as to your mission.
Harsh, but true.
I agree that it is not right, and thankfully has not been used so far. This all stems from WW2, wheropon "agents" had similar, to avoid giving away National secrets.
I personally feel that it is a daft situation of affairs, although I flushed mine down the bog when working in the mid-east..
I am obviously still about !
Cheers,
Bob

Answer 6

If they don't, they damn well should.....

I mean what if the rocket/shuttle lost control and floated out to the depths of outerspace with no possibility of being able to be saved ...

can you imagine the deaths the astronauts would suffer... a possibly long and lingering one, of madness, starvation and thirst ..

AT least give them the option of being in control of their own end.

But can you tell me why you have objections .. are they based on religious views?

Answer 7

Although astronauts go through intensive physical and psychological training, It would be pretty illogical to put someone incharge of a billion pounds of program and tell them to commit suicide if they think so. Also it would be very cowardly to give up entirely, and presumably dying of CO2 poisoning is not so bad afterall if suicide pill gives one allergic reaction or something. SO most likely NO.

Answer 8

Considering that one of the alternatives is suffocating to death, or being crushed by pressure, it is only right that they give them a more humane and less painful option. If you had a choice, and knew you were going to die, would you rather it be over in seconds, or drag on painfully?

Answer 9

I doubt it. The military esp. the air force follow a Christian ethos. Suicide just wouldn't be an option.

Answer 10

Yes. When the spacecraft fails and there is no way to get back to Earth, they kill themselves