NASA Watch

NASA Watch note: This email was widely distributed at NASA JPL. It was sent by Blaine Baggett, Office of Communications and Education, Office Of The Director, Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The URL cited does not work - the UPI story can be read here.

Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2000 09:01:33 -0800
From: Blaine Baggett
Subject: UPI Story

All:
In case you have not heard yet, yesterday a stringer for UPI named James Oberg put out a story claiming NASA hid from public view information about design flaws with the Polar Mars Lander. The report also alleges tests of the lander were, in essence, rigged. http://www.marketwatch.newsalert.com/bin/story?StoryId=ConCb0bebDxmTBwfYC2nY>>yxnO.

This story is being picked up everywhere from the BBC to the Drudge report. In response, NASA has put out a strongly worded and blunt reply to the UPI report. Go to NASA's home page at http://www.nasa.gov/. UPI has since released a second story (see below)

We are working with NASA's public affairs office to determine how best to respond here at JPL. In the meantime, I would suggest alerting your troops to refer any calls from reporters to NASA's response on their home page or to have them contact NASA's public affairs office directly. We should stir clear of this unless events change.

More to come.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Blaine

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