The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration Monday admitted that a hacker attacked a US space shuttle mission in 1997, but denied a BBC report that the attack had put several astronauts in danger.
In a statement, NASA said that during the mission “the transmission of routine medical information was slightly delayed due to a computer hacker.”
“However, the transmission was successfully completed,” NASA said. “At no time was communication between NASA and the astronauts compromised.”
NASA said the incident is currently under investigation by the agency’s Inspector General’s office.
The BBC news program Panorama, to be aired late Monday, will report that hackers penetrated the system NASA used to monitor the heart rate, pulse and general health of astronauts, while the shuttle was connecting with Russian space station Mir, according to a BBC statement.
NASA had to transmit through Mir to keep in contact with the US crew, according to the British channel.
NASA Inspector General Roberta Gross, questioned by the BBC said the incidents “shows the potential that hackers have for doing some real damage to NASA’s mission and astronaut safety.”
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