Includes Employees Of Contractors Tasked With Building New Spacecraft

According to a report issued this week by NASA's Inspector General, the board established to review development and construction of the agency's upcoming Orion manned spacecraft includes six employees of companies tasked with building the capsule... a violation of both federal law, and common-sense ethics.

The board, chaired by former Skylab astronaut Ed Gibson, was established to scrutinize those very companies, reports The Associated Press. But Gibson and five other boardmembers work for NASA contractors building various components of the spacecraft.

Of the 19 members of the Orion review board, three are employed by Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC), which is tasked with building Orion test facilities. Two -- Gibson, and former NASA flight director Neil Hutchinson -- are vice presidents and stockholders.

Jack Garman, a former NASA employee and key figure with the Apollo lunar program, works for Lockheed Martin -- the prime builder of the Orion spacecraft. Two others work for contractors MEI Technologies, and Gray Research Inc.

The IG says that's a clear conflict of interest, and wants those six members suspended. But NASA replies it's not that easy, since engineers qualified to make informed decisions regarding a highly specialized spacecraft will, by definition, usually work for either the space agency, or one of its contractors.

NASA spokesman David Steitz adds this isn't the first time the agency has had to deal with such concerns... but that explanation doesn't sit well with New York University professor Paul Light, an expert on government ethics.

Light tells the AP the IG report indicates "a flagrant abuse and Congress should investigate... Not only is NASA ready to challenge the laws of physics, it appears more than willing to challenge the laws of Congress."

FMI: Read The IG's Report (.pdf)