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Internet Policies

JPL Links To Political Press Releases

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
May 16, 2007

Editor’s note: Have a look at the Winds website at NASA JPL. In the lower center of the page there is a link to “Lampson Concerned About Survival Of Vital Hurricane Tracking Satellite”. Apparently (and I am giving them the benefit of the doubt here) the webmaster was unaware that his not an original “article”, but rather, it is a press release from Rep. Lampson’s office – someone who has been critical of the Bush Administration’s space policies. If you go to this link there is nothing to note that it is indeed a press release, rather, it says what it was written by “staff writers”. The full press release – labeled as such – can be found here at SpaceRef.com. Lampson’s office has not put the press release online yet. I have asked JPL PAO and the responsible officials for this website what their policy is with regard to linking to external news sources and political press releases, but they have not responded. Indeed, they have updated this page since I initially sent my request. One would think that NASA’s Office of Legislative Affairs would have some say in matters such as this.

Editor’s update: The website has been modified and JPL PAO says that indeed they were not aware that they were linking to a press release. Yet, the phrase “Lampson Concerned About Survival Of Vital Hurricane Tracking Satellite” now points to this LA Times article – one that makes no mention whatsoever of Rep. Lampson (D- TX) but mentions the comments of Ron Klein (D-FL) instead.

Editor’s further update: The link is now gone altogether.

NASA Watch founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.