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A26 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 2 May 2020
NASA begs spectators for astronaut launch: Please stay home!

By MARCIA DUNN also are staying away from
AP Aerospace Writer all but the most important
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. training events.
(AP) — NASA and SpaceX Hurley said the two are
on Friday urged spectators disappointed their families
to stay home for the first and friends will have to
home launch of astronauts miss the launch in person,
in nearly a decade be- but "Obviously, it's the right
cause of the coronavirus thing to do in the current
pandemic. environment."
Top officials warned the The pair will go into quar-
public against traveling antine two weeks be-
to Florida for the May 27 fore liftoff, first at Johnson
launch of two NASA astro- Space Center in Houston
nauts aboard a SpaceX and then at Kennedy.
rocket to the International In both the NASA and
Space Station. SpaceX flight control
It will be the first launch rooms, staff will be spaced
of astronauts from NASA's at least 6 feet (2 meters)
Kennedy Space Center apart on launch day and
in nine years — ever since throughout the mission,
the last space shuttle flight and plenty of hand sani-
in 2011. It also will be the tizer, masks and gloves will
first attempt by a private be available.
company to fly astronauts NASA turned to private
to orbit. In this July 8, 2011 file photo, spectators watch the space shuttle Atlantis lift off from the Kennedy companies in the wake of
For space space shuttle Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Fla. the space shuttle program
launches, hundreds of Associated Press. to get cargo to the space
thousands of spectators Space Center, and I will SpaceX President Gw- ing whether to allow peo- station. Next up are the
would descend on Ken- tell you that makes me sad ynne Shotwell agreed it's ple on beaches, parks and crew deliveries. Russian
nedy Space Center and to even say it. a shame more people roadways on launch day. Soyuz capsules, mean-
nearby beaches, said Boy, I wish we could make won't be able to enjoy the NASA and SpaceX already while, have been the sole
NASA Administrator Jim this into something really launch from Florida. But are limiting the number means of crew transporta-
Bridenstine. spectacular." she encouraged people of employees near astro- tion to the orbiting lab.
"The challenge that we're Bridenstine urged the pub- to "be there for the ride nauts Doug Hurley and Boeing also is working to
up against right now is we lic to watch the launch on- with us." Bob Behnken. Anyone launch astronauts under
want to keep everybody line or on TV from home. "We'll be together in spirit coming close must wear NASA's commercial crew
safe," he said. "And so "We don't want an out- more so than in physical masks and gloves, and program; its first crew flight
we're asking people not break," of COVID-19, he space," she said. their temperatures are is still months — if not a
to travel to the Kennedy told reporters. Local officials are still mull- checked. The astronauts year — away.q

Trump's new press secretary pledges not to lie from podium

Continued from Page 25 ments, despite once tell- of evidence. And it includ- ately. Asked and answered staff, Mark Meadows, shook
ing reporters, "I don't think ed emails and handwritten in the form of the vote of up the White House com-
The White House has long it's appropriate to lie from notes, including one that the American people." munications team in early
made the case that the the podium or any other read: "What's our goal? After McEnany's briefing April, at the height of the
briefings are less important place." Truth/admission or to get ended, Spicer tweeted: coronavirus crisis. Grisham,
in the Trump administration McEnany took a more ge- him to lie, so we can pros- "Great debut." Ari Fleischer, who had held the titles of
because the president is so nial approach at her debut, ecute him or get him fired?" press secretary for Presi- both press secretary and
accessible, answering re- calling on every reporter in McEnany also deflected dent George W. Bush, said White House communica-
porters' questions on an of- the room at least once and questions about the nu- substance and style are tions director, rejoined the
ten-daily basis. Trump had avoiding personal attacks. merous sexual miscon- the key factors in being a first lady's office in a new
been holding his own daily She grew more heated, duct allegations leveled at presidential spokesperson. role as Melania Trump's
briefings through much of though, as she brought up Trump over the years after "It matters how you come chief of staff.
the pandemic, but scaled newly released documents his likely Democratic chal- across on TV," Fleischer said Grisham, who succeeded
back this week amid con- related to former national lenger, former Vice Presi- on Fox News Channel after Sanders and Spicer, was ar-
cerns that he was doing security adviser Michael dent Joe Biden, on Friday the briefing. "On the sub- guably the nation's least vis-
himself political damage Flynn that she said should emphatically denied alle- stance, she had facts. She ible press secretary in mod-
and as the White House "scare every American citi- gations from a former Sen- had statistics. Oh boy, is she ern history. While she made
tries to pivot toward a focus zen." Flynn pleaded guilty ate staffer that he sexually articulate. "On the style, I occasional appearances
on reopening. Spicer got in December 2017 to lying assaulted her in the early mean she was just com- on the Fox News Channel,
off to a contentious early to the FBI when questioned 1990s, declaring flatly "this fortable. You always listen she preferred to tape her
start with reporters when he about his interactions with never happened." for: Is there a hiccup in the interviews in a studio to
used his first press briefing the Russian ambassador to "The president has swiftly voice? Is she nervous? Is avoid having to speak to
to falsely claim that Trump's the United States. The new denied all of these alle- there something about be- reporters who gather on
inauguration had drawn documents reveal that the gations that were raised ing in that room where you the White House driveway
the biggest crowd ever. FBI had been prepared to four years ago," McEnany think the pressure might get to interview officials af-
Sanders' briefings were also drop its investigation into said. "He has always told to her? She was cool and ter they appear on TV via
heated, and she drew criti- Flynn weeks before the in- the truth on these issues. calm throughout it all." cameras set up outside the
cism for her own false state- terview because of a lack He's denied them immedi- Trump and his new chief of executive mansion.q