Space Bat, rest in peace

[scarlettina]

Oh, internets, how I <3 thee! For only on the internets can the unfortunate demise of a freetail bat riding Discovery's external fuel tank as it blasted into the sky become the inspiration for . . . um . . . art.

To quote james-nicoll, "Farewell, tiny space bat."

Click to view

In tribute, johnreiher composed the following

Comments

[criada]

Aw. Let's hope that brave and strong-clinging bat passed on its fine genes before its tragic end.

[prettyshrub]

I like to think of the bat as traveling to other planets.

[holyoutlaw]

I laughed.

Then I choked up. Then I laughed.

Then I choked up, laughed, choked up, laughed, choked up, laughed, choked up, laughed, choked up, laughed, choked up, chuckled, choked up, laughed, choked up, laughed, choked up, laughed, got misty eyed, laughed, choked up, smiled sublimely, wiped a tear, laughed, etc., until the video ended.

Also, did you read where the article said this is the SECOND time a bat has clung to the external fuel tank after liftoff, and the same Japanese astronaut has been on both flights? *cue ominous revelation music!*

[scarlettina]

Oh yes. That one sentence made me laugh out loud. It's a strange world we live in.

[singingnettle]

Eeeee! Poor bat!

Of course, most of those photos were of flying foxes, which are about the size of German shepherds and would have been pretty darn noticeable, because they have sweet faces and melting eyes.

[scarlettina]

Details, details. :-)

[kristine_smith]

"The bat eventually became 'Interim Problem Report 119V-0080' after the ICE team finished their walkdown," the memo said. "Systems Engineering and Integration performed a debris analysis on him and ultimately a Launch Commit Criteria waiver to ICE-01 was written to accept the stowaway."

Poor little mite.

[holyoutlaw]

Interim Problem Report 119V-0080 is a great title for a new wave-ish sf story from the early 70s or so.