NASA looking into drugs at launch site

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., March 15 (UPI) -- NASA says it's investigating the discovery of apparent illegal drugs at Florida's Kennedy Space Center, the second drug investigation at the facility in a year.

Preliminary tests on 4.7 ounces of a white powder found March 7 indicated it was cocaine, said Renee Juhans of NASA's Office of Inspector General.

"The substance is now at an accredited crime lab for further testing," Juhans told Florida Today.

"We are doing an investigation," she said.

Juhans could not immediately confirm where in the space center the substance was discovered.

A similar investigation was launched in January 2010 after a small amount of cocaine was found in the restricted hangar where the shuttle Discovery was prepared for launch.

In that incident, around 200 employees were tested for cocaine, with no positive results.

An unconfirmed number of employees have been asked to take drug tests in connection with the new investigation, NASA said.