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- NASA is asking fans to avoid attending SpaceX’s first manned launch to the International Space Station.
- The event is taking a long time to come, and while NASA won’t sell tickets to attendees, the agency is still concerned that people may flock to the roads and other public places to catch a glimpse of the action.
- Visit the BGR home page for more stories.
SpaceX is preparing for a mission to make history. The company will send NASA astronauts to the International Space Station from American soil, something that has not happened in almost a decade. It will be big business for both SpaceX and NASA.
Normally, an event like this would cause crowds to gather. Space fans would descend in large numbers to the Florida launch site and celebrate the launch of NASA astronauts from their home country. Unfortunately, the current global health crisis is greatly complicating matters, and NASA wants to make it clear that people should not attend the event.
How Space.com NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine reportedly spoke about the launch during a long video conference this week. During the call, he urged all NASA and SpaceX fans to make their own health a priority and avoid attending the launch in person.
“We are asking people to join us in this launch, but to do so from home. We ask people not to travel to the Kennedy Space Center, “Bridenstine said.” We are trying to make sure we have access to the International Space Station without drawing the large number of crowds that we normally have. “
Tickets to see the launch would generally be sold to eager viewers, but that obviously won’t be the case this time. Still, it’s common for people to gather in large numbers in public places that provide insight into the launch site. That, Bridenstine said, cannot happen this time, and anyone who does would be at risk.
The fact that the launch has been sustained on time is an impressive feat. Many weeks ago, NASA was forced to issue orders to stay home to most of its staff in hopes of preventing the new coronavirus pandemic from spreading through its workforce. Only “mission critical” personnel are allowed in NASA facilities.
The launch of SpaceX and the Mars 2020 mission are still underway for their respective launch windows despite the fact that many NASA employees are doing all their work from their own homes.
We still don’t know how long it will be before daily life begins to return to normal. Social distancing is paying off, and we are seeing cases of COVID-19 curves in the right direction, but that does not mean that our work is done. In the meantime, we will have to enjoy events like the launch of SpaceX ISS remotely and be patient while we wait for the situation to improve.
Image Source: Terry Renna / AP / REX / Shutterstock
Mike Wehner has reported on technology and video games for the past decade, covering the latest news and trends in virtual reality, handheld devices, smartphones, and future technology.
Most recently, Mike served as technical editor at The Daily Dot, and has appeared on USA Today, Time.com, and countless other websites and in print. His love for
the reports are second only to his addiction to games.
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