Problems Reported Between Obama Transition Team And NASA's GriffinProblems Reported Between Obama Transition Team And NASA's Griffin

President-elect Barack Obama's transition team is rumored to be having some trouble with NASA.The Orlando Sentinel reported that NASA chief Mike Griffin demanded to speak with the next president himself, after a heated conversation with Obama's point person on space policy. The report said that Griffin told Obama's chosen space policy expert, former NASA associate administrator Lori Garver, that she lacks qualification to judge NASA's rocket program. He allegedly made the comments during a book publishing party at NASA headquarters last week.

Citing unnamed sources, the newspaper also reported that Griffin has told employees and contractors what they can and cannot tell transition team members and those instructions include a ban on criticism of the lunar program.

NASA communications chief Chris Shank told the newspaper that Griffin wants to meet with Obama but he did not argue with Garver or tell his staff to withhold information from Obama's transition team.

In fact, the newspaper also reported that Griffin had sent a memo to employees encouraging them to "answer questions promptly, openly, and accurately," but the newspaper claims to have other documents proving Griffin's attempts to coordinate NASA's message.

NASA insiders, according to The Sentinel, have closely monitored those who have been interviewed.

Shank did say that Griffin has concerns that Obama's transition team lacks engineering expertise to analyze all of the information they have received.

Meanwhile, the transition team has hinted at changes within NASA, which recently delayed the launch date for its next-generation space shuttle, leaving a five-year gap before the Constellation's Ares rockets are launched in 2015.

Griffin has been working vigorously on the rocket program and lunar exploration plans supported by the current White House.

Still, if the Obama team believes he is undermining its goals of seeing clearly what's happening at NASA, I'll bet he gets replaced.