Friday, March 8, 2013

Does NASA Care About National Security?

The NASA Langley Research Center was named for Samuel Pierpont Langley, a respected engineer, astronomer and third secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, who tried to build the first heavier-than-air flying machine. (David B. Hollingsworth | The Virginian-Pilot)

Lawmaker: NASA Broke Law With Visits By China Officials -- USA Today

The congressman whose panel funds NASA says the agency broke the law last year by allowing Chinese visitors at Kennedy Space Center without notifying Congress first.


WASHINGTON — A congressman says NASA broke a national security law last year by failing to notify Congress about two visits Chinese officials made to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida — a charge the agency flatly denies.

Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., said the visits — one in June and one in December — were barred by a measure he authored in 2011 requiring NASA facilities such as Kennedy to give lawmakers at least 14 days notice before hosting "official Chinese visitors."

"We say, 'Let us know. Notify us.' And they did not," Wolf said at a Capitol Hill news conference. "I do believe that was a violation of the law."

Read more ....

Update #1: Congressman: NASA let Langley contractor hire Chinese national linked to spying (updated) -- al.com
Update #2: Wolf says NASA prompted hiring of person linked to Chinese espionage; may be dozens more in agency -- Washington Examiner

My Comment
: It looks like someone was asleep on their job .... or did not care who these Chinese visitors were.

No comments: