I was on vacation when MSNBC apparently originated the story, and you may have missed it as well, but the essence is that there is a gun carried aboard the International Space Station. Not too big of a story until you remember recent stories about psychological difficulties among some astronauts and the approaching rush towards tourism in space. Do we want lethal weapons on board space craft? The gun is actually on board the Soyuz Spacecraft that dock at the station, a safety measure in case their landing on Earth is off course. You know, hungry bears and all. In listing recent violent incidents involving NASA and the astronaut corps, MSNBC reports there was at least one suicide threat by an unidentified crew member that was taken seriously by the commander, but I could not find any other reference to it online. If the presence of a single gun is getting this much attention when it the craft it's on isn't leaving earth's neighborhood, I have to wonder what folks will say about the kind of armament that might be carried on a mission to Mars and beyond when off-kilter earthlings may be the least of the crew's worries.
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