NASA contractor convicted of substituting Chinese steel for space launch, then covering it up
ORLANDO, Fla. _ A 32-year-old man was found guilty after he reportedly purchased Chinese parts for a NASA space launch project and tried to cover it up.
Seongchan "Steven" Yun of Redondo Beach, Calif., was charged with providing a false document to a federal agency and now faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, according to the United States Department of Justice.
Yun worked for the CBOL Corporation, which provides parts and materials to the aerospace industry, including NASA.
Yun was responsible for a contract that would provide stainless steel tubing to carry rocket fuel in support of NASA's Space Launch System/Orion project at Kennedy Space Center.
The contract specifically required the steel be provided by the United States. Instead Yun procured the materials from China and tried to cover up the foreign exchange.
Investigators found Yun had the parts shipped to KSC and created false certifications asserting the steel tubing conformed to all of NASA's requirements.
Yun's sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 2.
Orlando Sentinel
