Do Astronauts Have Suicide Pills?

In a new Astroroach feature, I'll be answering questions sent in by readers. Today's question is from my friend Tom Mumey. Tom asks "Does the suicide capsule still exist for the American Astronauts?"

Well Tom, that begs the larger question did suicide capsules ever exist? The answer, from none other than Apollo 13's Jim Lovell, is no.

"Since Apollo 13 many people have asked me, "Did you have suicide pills on board?" We didn't, and I never heard of such a thing in the eleven years I spent as an astronaut and NASA executive."

In my opinion, astronauts are by nature a group of very persistent problem solvers, or they wouldn't be where they are. It's unlikey they'd use such a thing even if they had it.