Bat tries to hitch a free ride on Space Shuttle

Bat tries to hitch a free ride on Space Shuttle

uk.news.yahoo.com

The animal was found hiding next to an external fuel tank.

Its fate is unknown but it is likely to have died during take-off.

"We're characterising him as unexpected debris and he's probably still unexpected debris somewhere," launch director Mike Leinbach told laughing reporters at a press conference.

Bats can cause a problem if they damage the heat shield tiling, which protects the orbiter when it re-enters Earth's atmosphere.

Fight STS-119 left the Kennedy Space Centre without incident.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Bloody hell. Do the bats know something we dont?

How long till bats are labeled terrorists for an elaborate plot to take over the shuttle and thus set in motion a series of events which would eventually see them rule the world with an iron wing!

Or is it a cover up of a UFO?? Any one here have some further information on this?

uk.news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Originally posted by kcfusion

How long till bats are labeled terrorists...

You know I couldn't stop laughing. We do have a weapon against bats though... OZZY!!!!!

Second lines ftw!

reply to post by Sliick


Maybe its because they know Ozzy is getting old now and soon there will be no one to stop them..........

In all seriousness , there are easier and safer ways to avoid Ozzy ... going to Abba memorial gigs, starting a stamp collection, wearing plaid jumpers and firmly creased trousers would be a good start. Cap it all off with habitual interest in snail racing and weekly bingo, and all our bat brethren will be safe from the Gobbler !
On a more serious note, I wonder how often a shuttle or space mission encounters difficulties with wildlife intruding into thier plans ? Surely this cannot be an isolated incident. I mean this space program has been running for many decades now, stands to reason that this has happened before.

I think that bat either flew off at main engine start or was vaporized at lift off.



He saw one of the searchlights and confused it with the bat signal. Or he was a teenage bat that had a bet with his friends.

Originally posted by whatukno
I think that bat either flew off at main engine start or was vaporized at lift off.

 

well just say that it flew off as soon as the whole shuttle and tanks started shaking... I wonder how far that little bat would have to fly to escape the heat from the rockets?

If it was in mid-air as he shuttle took off I'm gonna guess it got BBQ'ed! Maybe even vaporised!!

RIP little batty - you won't be doing that again now will you!

R.I.P. brave little space-bat:

www.nasa.gov...

Poor thing...

reply to post by kosmicjack


I wonder what happened, did the bat get peeled off after liftoff, did it make it all the way to space?

If the bat had a broken wing, it certainly couldn't have flown to the shuttle, so how did it get on the fuel tank to begin with?