NASA will let banned Chinese scientists reapply for conference

Science : In September six Chinese scientists were denied permission to attend a conference at NASA’s Ames Research Center about the Kepler spacecraft. It appears that NASA officials denied them permission because of a temporary NASA policy preventing citizens of eight nations, including China, from visiting certain NASA facilities in an effort to prevent espionage. However, the letters the scientists were sent cited language from Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA) in a 2011 spending bill as the reason for the denial. On 8 October NASA director Charles Bolden received a letter from Wolf regarding the denials. Bolden has now said that following the end of the federal government shutdown, he will contact the rejected scientists so that they may reapply to attend the conference. However, the conference itself may yet be canceled because of the government shutdown.