NASA restricts Chinese nationals' access to facilities and programs

NASA has restricted Chinese nationals from accessing its facilities, networks and programs, the agency said Wednesday, a move officials described as intended to protect sensitive work as Washington and Beijing accelerate rival plans to return humans to the Moon. Several people who had been contributing to NASA projects as contractors, graduate students or university researchers reported being abruptly locked out of agency information systems and barred from meetings on September 5, according to media accounts and affected individuals.

"NASA has taken internal action pertaining to Chinese nationals, including restricting physical and cybersecurity access to our facilities, materials and network to ensure the security of our work," agency press secretary Bethany Stevens said in a statement. Bloomberg and other outlets reported that the restrictions have effectively prevented some Chinese citizens holding U.S. visas from participating in NASA research programs.

The change marks an escalation in longstanding limits on Chinese government-affiliated personnel. Historically, Chinese nationals were not employed as NASA staff, but those on U.S. visas have been able to work as contractors...