American space agency NASA has launched a full investigation into how a bag of cocaine got into the hangar housing the space shuttle Discovery.
According to a NASA spokesman, the plastic bag was found in a secure part of the hangar at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The Agency began testing about 200 shuttle workers following the discovery of the drug.
The substance was found on the floor outside two bathrooms and a janitor's closet, in an area where workers swipe their identification cards, said Space Center Spokeswoman Lisa Malone.
She further pointed out that the amount discovered in the bag was small. "I understand it was residue," she said.
"We do not tolerate the use of illegal substances for people who work on the orbiter," Kennedy Space Center director, Bob Cabana, told reporters.
"This is a rare and isolated incident, and I'm disappointed that it happened, but it should not detract from the outstanding work that is being done by a dedicated team on a daily basis," he noted.
The shuttle Discovery is being prepared for a March launch to the International Space Station (ISS).
