News

Officials hope audit of UM space center will clear the air

Two Washington, D.C.-based government watchdog groups say the University of Montana’s star-crossed center for space commercialization is a classic federal “pork” project because the funding it received was made possible by a noncompetitive appropriations process ushered through Congress by Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont.

UM’s Northern Rockies Center for Space Privatization was created in 2003 – without Montana Board of Regents approval – to spark campus research and commercial space ventures, but has little to show after spending the $3 million it received from NASA at the direction of Congress.

On Wednesday, legislative auditors began an investigation of the space privatization center at the request of the Montana Board of Regents and commissioner of higher education. By June, auditors expect to answer questions surrounding the center’s origins, the creation of a private spinoff company called the Inland Northwest Space Alliance, how the NASA funding was spent and possible conflicts of interest.

By BETSY COHEN of the Missoulian

Full Story: http://missoulian.com/articles/2006/03/12/news/local/news04.txt

Previous Articles:

INSA, University of Montana, Senator Conrad Burns, Representative Denny Rehberg connected through current investigation http://www.matr.net/article-18562.html

Space Center (INSA) Investigation Casts Doubt on Montana University Leaders http://www.matr.net/article-18565.html

George Bailey, president of the Inland Northwest Space Alliance denies impropriety in Lloyd Chesnut and his wife earning nearly $130,000 at the company. http://www.matr.net/article-18460.html

University of Montana space programs spending to be investigated. http://www.matr.net/article-18420.html

Montana University Regents concerned about use of NASA funding. Wants to know what UM’s Northern Rockies Center for Space Privatization has to show for the $3 million it received from noncompetitive NASA grants http://www.matr.net/article-18360.html

Posted in:

Sorry, we couldn't find any posts. Please try a different search.

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.