Space Shuttle Discovery carries Batman into orbit

[Candlelight]

http://www.universetoday.com/2009/03/17/the-discovery-bats-fate-is-confirmed/

On Sunday, Space Shuttle Discovery lit up the Florida evening skies, cutting through a magnificent sunset. The STS-119 mission is set to assemble the final stages of the International Space Station's solar array, making the outpost the second brightest object in the night sky (after the Moon). Today, Discovery successfully docked with the space station and all is set for the upcoming spacewalks.
However, space launch successes to one side, there has been an undercurrent of concern captivating the world. On Sunday, the shuttle had a stowaway attached to the external fuel tank, and although NASA was sure the little animal wouldn't be a debris risk, the bat remained attached to the shuttle, apparently stuck in place. New details have now emerged about why the bat didn't fly away before Discovery launched…

On Sunday, there was some chat about the a bat roosting on the orange external fuel tank of the space shuttle. This isn't such a strange occurrence, this is Florida after all, there is plenty of wildlife around Cape Canaveral, animals are bound to feature in shuttle launches every now and again. A bat has even roosted on the Shuttle before (STS-72 in 1996), only to fly away shortly before launch. Therefore, the bat discovered on Sunday morning was met with some mild curiosity and NASA was certain it would fly away before countdown.
However, during coverage of the shuttle launch, it became clear the bat was still roosting and some theories pointed at the possibility that the creature had become frozen to the tank as the cryogenic hydrogen and oxygen fuel was pumped into the external tank. However, the area where Brian was located (yes, I felt compelled to name him when chatting on Twitter about the situation, was not expected to drop below freezing. On watching Discovery blast off, the assumption was that Brian (then thought to be a fruit bat, he was in fact a Free-tailed bat) had long gone. How wrong we were.
This morning, images of Discovery's launch surfaced and it would appear the bat remained attached to the fuel tank even when the shuttle passed the height of the launch tower. The bat was in it for the duration, he seemed determined to be the first bat in space!

Poor bat.

 

[JonathonWally]

http://www.universetoday.com/2009/03/17/the-discovery-bats-fate-is-confirmed/

On Sunday, Space Shuttle Discovery lit up the Florida evening skies, cutting through a magnificent sunset. The STS-119 mission is set to assemble the final stages of the International Space Station's solar array, making the outpost the second brightest object in the night sky (after the Moon). Today, Discovery successfully docked with the space station and all is set for the upcoming spacewalks.
However, space launch successes to one side, there has been an undercurrent of concern captivating the world. On Sunday, the shuttle had a stowaway attached to the external fuel tank, and although NASA was sure the little animal wouldn't be a debris risk, the bat remained attached to the shuttle, apparently stuck in place. New details have now emerged about why the bat didn't fly away before Discovery launched…

On Sunday, there was some chat about the a bat roosting on the orange external fuel tank of the space shuttle. This isn't such a strange occurrence, this is Florida after all, there is plenty of wildlife around Cape Canaveral, animals are bound to feature in shuttle launches every now and again. A bat has even roosted on the Shuttle before (STS-72 in 1996), only to fly away shortly before launch. Therefore, the bat discovered on Sunday morning was met with some mild curiosity and NASA was certain it would fly away before countdown.
However, during coverage of the shuttle launch, it became clear the bat was still roosting and some theories pointed at the possibility that the creature had become frozen to the tank as the cryogenic hydrogen and oxygen fuel was pumped into the external tank. However, the area where Brian was located (yes, I felt compelled to name him when chatting on Twitter about the situation, was not expected to drop below freezing. On watching Discovery blast off, the assumption was that Brian (then thought to be a fruit bat, he was in fact a Free-tailed bat) had long gone. How wrong we were.
This morning, images of Discovery's launch surfaced and it would appear the bat remained attached to the fuel tank even when the shuttle passed the height of the launch tower. The bat was in it for the duration, he seemed determined to be the first bat in space!

Poor bat.

One small flight for bat, one giant launch for Batkind.


I wonder how long it took him to prepare

 

[Messianni]

Here are pics:

R.I.P. Spacebat. You went out in style.

 

[SeerSGB]

The next Disney straight to DVD movie: Spacebatties

Safe bet the poor thing was dead long before they reached orbit. I'm just surprised we've not had a story of some dang fool human trying something like this.

 

[Holdfast]

I wonder how long it took him to prepare

Evil, and I love it.

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

Maybe it was one of those LIFE FORCE creatures trying to back into space.

 

[TheWifeOfBrian]

Cue enviromental-whacko/fringe-group lawsuit...

 

[RJDiogenes]

Holy Max Q!

Poor thing was probably dead and just stuck or frozen to the tank.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

NASA should've developed their bat-repellent bat-spray...

 

[Gary Mitchell]

Maybe it was one of those LIFE FORCE creatures trying to back into space.

Now you are going to make me watch my Lifeforce dvd again. There are grooves in it during the Matilda May scenes. I hope it doesn't fall apart.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

Holy Max Q!

Poor thing was probably dead and just stuck or frozen to the tank.

Or injured... Maybe it couldn't get off.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

And I think it's gonna be a long long time
'Til touch down brings me round again to find
I'm not the bat they think I am at home
Oh guano no, I'm a rocket bat
Rocket bat, burning off my wings up here alone

 

[Gertch]

Saw the shuttle go overhead last night. Could have sworn I saw a very small box being launched from the torpedo tube.

Or injured... Maybe it couldn't get off.

Sounds like a few posters here...

 

[Squiggy]

God speed moon bat.

 

[SeerSGB]

Saw the shuttle go overhead last night. Could have sworn I saw a very small box being launched from the torpedo tube.

Now I don't feel like such a dork, since I wasn't the only one that came up with that mental image

 

[JuanBolio]

That sucks... poor little bat.

Still... great way to go.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Still... great way to go.

A parachute not opening... that's a way to die. Getting caught in the gears of a combine... having your nuts bit off by a Laplander, that's the way I wanna go.

 

[Messianni]

Holy Max Q!

Poor thing was probably dead and just stuck or frozen to the tank.

Or injured... Maybe it couldn't get off.

Yeah, an animal expert looking at the pictures thought either its wing was broken or something wrong with its shoulder.

This was the official NASA statement:

The animal likely perished quickly during Discovery's climb into orbit.

But I like Gizmodo's interpretation.

Bereft of his ability to fly and with nowhere to go, a courageous bat climbed aboard our Discovery with stars in his weak little eyes. The launch commenced, and Spacebat trembled as his frail mammalian body was gently pushed skyward. For the last time, he felt the primal joy of flight; for the first, the indescribable feeling of ascending toward his dream—a place far away from piercing screeches and crowded caves, stretching forever into fathomless blackness. Whether he was consumed in the exhaust flames or frozen solid in the stratosphere is of no concern. We know that Spacebat died, but his dream will live on in all of us.

 

[Gil T.Azell]

And I think it's gonna be a long long time
'Til touch down brings me round again to find
I'm not the bat they think I am at home
Oh guano no, I'm a rocket bat
Rocket bat, burning off my wings up here alone

sorry thats just plain funny there.

 

[Sephiroth]

*burns incense*