Speakes Denies Reagan Pushed Shuttle Launch

White House spokesman Larry Speakes today denied as “most vicious and distorted” rumors he said were started by reporters that the White House pressured the space agency into launching the ill-fated Challenger shuttle.

According to the rumors, the launch on the morning of Jan. 28 was pushed so that President Reagan could phone the astronauts during his State of the Union message that night.

Acknowledging that “nobody’s printed it,” Speakes, by his denial, put on the record a variety of rumors about the disaster and denied them all.

(In a recent column, Mike Royko raised the issue of NASA’S heavy schedule, and whether it figured in the decision to launch in cold weather. He also asked: “Was it because President Reagan was going to make his State of the Union address that night and a successful and timely launch would provide him with a public relations and oratorical flourish?”)

Among the stories Speakes told reporters “you’ve gotten from your press colleagues” were that White House chief of staff Donald T. Regan allegedly called the space agency and said, “Get that thing up,” and that Reagan wanted to dramatize the mission by phoning the crew during his State of the Union address. The President postponed the speech by a week after the shuttle blew up.

‘Vicious, Distorted Rumor’

Speakes said the speech would have mentioned some students’ experiments aboard the shuttle and a recommitment to building a manned space station. But he said there were no plans for a phone call of any kind, during the speech or otherwise, because the missions had become so routine.

Asked if there had been any White House involvement in the launch date, Speakes said strongly: “I’m tired of that story. . . . You’ve gotten it from your press colleagues. That’s the most vicious and distorted rumor I have ever heard.

“I’m sick and tired of that kind of stuff, and I think it’s irresponsible on the part of the press.”

Asked if he were denying it, Speakes said: “Not only denying it, I’m saying it is a rumor perpetrated by the press. . . . You really ought to get off of it.”

At the same time, he said, “I do appreciate your responsibility in coming to us promptly with rumors, which we will knock down.”