| NASA's
wasteful spending was announced in yet another misuse of government
funding in the NASA Inspector General Report. The IG report
found NASA had wasted $3 million during the first nine months
of the operation of charter flights to Moscow. NASA needs at
least 90 people to fly on each aircraft for the contract to
be economical. However, most flights are carrying less than
50 passengers. “NASA is paying at least 10 times what
an average flight costs to Moscow,” said Senator Thompson.
“In fact, if NASA called a travel agent today they could
purchase a ticket for $555 to Moscow. NASA dollars should be
devoted to science, not lost to bureaucratic waste.” The
IG found that the average cost per passenger under NASA’s
charter contract ranged from $2,753 to $19,883. In a letter
to NASA Administrator Dan Goldin, Thompson called on him to
“halt this waste immediately and have Space Station employees
rely on commercial air carriers.” |
