Boldly go where no bat has gone before

[Doug]

abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=7107251




Did Bat Hitch a Ride to Space?
Flying Rodent Was Seen Clinging to Discovery's Fuel Tank During Liftoff
By GINA SUNSERI
HOUSTON, March 17, 2009

The bat, seen clinging to the external fuel tank of the Space Shuttle Discovery before its launch on Sunday, apparently clung for dear life to the side of the tank as the spaceship lifted off.

And what a ride.

The shuttle accelerates to an orbital velocity of 17,500 milers per hour, which is 25 times faster than the speed of sound, in just over eight minutes. That's zero to 100 mph in 10 seconds.

Did it make it into space? No one knows yet. But photos of Discovery as it cleared the launch tower showed a tiny speck on the side of the tank. When those photos were blown up, it became apparent that the speck was a bat.

Flight director Paul Dye said no one has seen the bat since.

"I heard that it was clinging to the tank at liftoff, but I don't think anyone has seen it since," he said.

[Cornflake]

I was intrigued by that story, but I heard that the bat had "almost certainly perished." I thought of writing a song lamenting its demise.

[omaha]

"Poor little guy...probably kept up with you for a mile or so..."

[Marshall]

That's zero to 100 mph in 10 seconds.

Gee. My motorcycle can do a quarter mile from a standstill in 11.4 seconds at 103 mph. Or so they say.

I lost a coffee mug off the back last year on the expressway.

[sidheguitarmichael]

I lost a futon mattress on the highway once... terrifying realization.

Never found it. I think it may have floated down into a valley filled with hippies. I'm not kidding.