Long Live Spacebat!

[Whacker]

So this has been all over the news the past day or two. A poor lil injured bat managed to latch itself onto the fuel tank of the Shuttle Discovery during launch.

http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2009/0...ips-the-s.html

Undoubtedly the poor guy died at some point. I like to think that he at least made it past 100k ft and became a true Batnaut!

All Hail Spacebat!

[Hooahguy]

yeah, batman would have been proud.

[Aemilius Paulus]

Gah, I hated that story. It made it to the Google News, in the Science section I believe, and I was appalled at it. I mean, compared to this, celebrity gossip seems like a pretty relevant and wholesome topic. What kind of news are these?? Definitely not the ones that inform or educate.

[Rhyfelwyr]

Gah, I hated that story. It made it to the Google News, in the Science section I believe, and I was appalled at it. I mean, compared to this, celebrity gossip seems like a pretty relevant and wholesome topic. What kind of news are these?? Definitely not the ones that inform or educate.

So you don't think it's cool that a bat was launched by rocket into space?

I will shed a tear for spacebat and his last, dramatic flight.

[GeneralHankerchief]

RIP to a true American hero.

[Reverend Joe]

I mean, compared to this, celebrity gossip seems like a pretty relevant and wholesome topic.

You might hate this story, but don't even try to bring it that low. Watching a dog take a dump is a more worthwhile activity than reading celebrity gossip.

I, for one, salute Spacebat.

[Whacker]

Sounds like someone needs to just chillaxe here.

In greater news, someone finally made a tribute video! It's ... actually kind of touching!

http://i.gizmodo.com/5175346/spaceba...-are-the-world

[LittleGrizzly]

Space bat... we salute you!

The pioneers of humanity dreamed of reaching the stars and being able to set foot on other places in our solar system and now our winged brothers have made thier infant steps into such a glorious adventure. Long shall space bat live on as a hero in our memory's...

[Yoyoma1910]

My hero.



*sniff*

[naut]

Awesome. To die honourably is to reserve a place in the stars.

[KukriKhan]

1) As chronicled above a bat hitches a ride on the Shuttle. No one sees it either burn or freeze.

2) The final solar wings unfurl on the ISS with zero problems, for the first time ever.

The unfurling of the 73m-long (240ft) structures went very smoothly.

"It's just really amazing," commented Mike Fincke, the space station's commander. He said there was "a shout of triumph" from astronauts aboard the linked station-shuttle complex once the two wings were fully extended.

I ask you: Coincidence?

[drone]

1) As chronicled above a bat hitches a ride on the Shuttle. No one sees it either burn or freeze.

2) The final solar wings unfurl on the ISS with zero problems, for the first time ever.



I ask you: Coincidence?

So the secret is to sacrifice a bat on each launch?

[KukriKhan]

So the secret is to sacrifice a bat on each launch?

Volunteer bats (important distinction). And it's not proven that Spacebat died/was sacrificed. For all we know, he may be in the ISS as we speak.