Lost It In Space

FEBRUARY 23--So what's an astronaut to do when a fellow traveler loses his/her marbles in space? Well, NASA officials suggest that crew members subdue the unstable astronaut with duct tape and bungee cords and inject the patient with a 'potent tranquilizer,' according to a detailed contingency plan drafted by agency officials. An excerpt from that NASA 'medical checklist,' which was prepared for the International Space Station, can be found below. In response to emergencies brought about by 'acute psychosis' or suicidal behavior, astronauts are directed to restrain the patient with 'gray tape around wrists, ankles, and use a bungee around the torso.' Additionally, if it is necessary to secure the astronaut's head, a towel should be placed 'under the neck and restrain with gray tape.' An oral tranquilizer (Haldol) is then to be administered. If the patient is uncooperative, an intramuscular injection of the drug is to be administered (the checklist includes a helpful color photo showing how the injection is to be given). A follow-up dose of the sedative Valium is then administered and crew members are to begin recording the restrained astronaut's vital signs. The medical checklist, which was first reported by the Associated Press, is of particular interest in light of the bizarre meltdown of astronaut Lisa Nowak, who is facing kidnapping and attempted murder charges. (6 pages)