NASA confiscates web-auctioned rocket engine

New Scientist ^ | 11/30/11 | David Shiga

[LibWhacker]

You can buy anything on the internet – even, until recently, a rocket engine. NASA has since confiscated the engine, which contains technology that could form the basis of missiles as well as spacecraft. But the incident highlights security concerns at the space agency .

Called the RL-10, this type of engine powered NASA's Saturn-I rocket in the 1960s. That was a precursor to the larger Saturn-V, which took astronauts to the moon.

In a recent report, NASA's Office of Inspector General (OIG) described how in July, it confiscated an RL-10 from a man who had put the engine up for sale on an internet auction site.

The agency sometimes sells surplus space hardware to the public, but it seems this engine left NASA without permission. The person trying to sell the engine told investigators he bought it from someone, who in turn got it from a NASA employee, says the report, which does not describe how the NASA employee acquired it. The engine is worth about $200,000.

[Pontiac]

the US is keen to avoid its rocket technology winding up in the hands of countries with which it has a tense relationship, such as China.

Kind of late for that wouldn’t you say after Clinton sold pretty much every secret NASA has to the Chinese for campaign cash?

[Yo-Yo]

That 60’s technology isn’t doing us much good in getting our own astronauts to the International Space Station. We’re hitching rides with the Russians.

[Never on my watch]

The engine is worth about $200,000

It's not worth anything if you can't sell it.

[rlmorel]

This is what it looks like...

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

The engine is worth about $200,000

Well if it could be tied to Nancy Pelosi and set off - bang zoom to the moon - it's value would be priceless.

[762X51]

When you post your stolen NASA rocket ads on Craigslist be sure not list it as “Stolen NASA Rocket-Mint Condition-only 4.3 million miles”. List it under appliances as “Industrial Blender” or “Vintage 1960’s Space Toy”

[billorites]

[IMR 4350]

“Kind of late for that wouldn’t you say after Clinton sold pretty much every secret NASA has to the Chinese for campaign cash”

But the Chinese said they intended to return it to our west coast.

Oh wait!

[LibWhacker]