Did Bat Hitch a Ride To Space On Discovery? 422
suraj.sun writes "A bat was 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.
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."
119V-0080 (Score:5, Funny)
Poor bat. Can we come up with a better name for him (or her) than 119V-0080? We're talking about the highest- and fastest-flying bat of all time, probably. A real name is definitely in order.
did we run out of targets ? (Score:5, Funny)
>When those photos were blown up
poor photo.
Hollywood Movie Incoming! (Score:5, Funny)
Spacebat? nah.. (Score:5, Funny)
I can hear it now... (Score:5, Funny)
Where are the animal rights crowd? PETA should have a field-day with this.
Re:did we run out of targets ? (Score:2, Funny)
I'm batman (Score:4, Funny)
Your answer: Val Kilmer sucks. Your wager: George Clooney sucks.
Pesky hitchiker (Score:1, Funny)
Wetbat !!!
Re:119V-0080 (Score:5, Funny)
>There are cars that accelerate faster than that. Of course, I suppose they don't weigh 4.5 million pounds.....
And they're not accelerating upwards (I hope)
Name for the bat (Re:119V-0080) (Score:2, Funny)
Poor bat. Can we come up with a better name for him (or her) than 119V-0080? We're talking about the highest- and fastest-flying bat of all time, probably. A real name is definitely in order.
Bruce Wayne?!
It's a conspiracy (Score:2, Funny)
If you're looking for the truth about animals in space, look here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvjgIxuVdo4 [youtube.com] [moon bears, the whitest kids you know]
Re:I can hear it now... (Score:5, Funny)
yeah (Score:1, Funny)
Batassss
Not quite (Score:5, Funny)
Heroic fucker.
Re:Hollywood Movie Incoming! (Score:5, Funny)
I've had it with these motherfuckin' bats on this motherfuckin' shuttle!
Mynock (Score:5, Funny)
Are they sure it's not a mynock [wikia.com]?
Re:119V-0080 (Score:5, Funny)
Its final message to Earth (Score:5, Funny)
Re:119V-0080 (Score:1, Funny)
that's what he gets for taking that double dare to lick the liquid nitrogen tank on that rocket
Re:119V-0080 (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Bats are _not_ rodents, dangit! (Score:4, Funny)
And koalas aren't bears, cavys aren't pigs, cynomys aren't dogs, and that KFC you had last night wasn't chicken...
mad as a hatter (Score:5, Funny)
Twinkle, twinkle, little bat!
How I wonder what you're at!
Up above the world you fly,
Like a teatray in the sky.
Re:119V-0080 (Score:1, Funny)
Re:119V-0080 (Score:4, Funny)
Can't wait to hear about Life of Brian. Before and after launch.
The difference in Quality. (Score:5, Funny)
"...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.
And that folks, is the difference between NASA-cam and your average gas-station-cam, which, on average, can't identify Bigfoot if it were robbing the place.
But why can't the heat tiles stay on? (Score:2, Funny)
NASA should investigate adhering heat tiles with bat claws
Re:119V-0080 (Score:5, Funny)
Re:The difference in Quality. (Score:5, Funny)
Thanks to Mitch Hedberg (1968-2005)
Re:119V-0080 (Score:5, Funny)
Re:It's just Wayne Enterprises doing some research (Score:4, Funny)
Re:did we run out of targets ? (Score:1, Funny)
Me too, so you're outnumbered, AC #27240191.
Re:119V-0080 (Score:5, Funny)
Re:119V-0080 (Score:5, Funny)
Re:did we run out of targets ? (Score:3, Funny)
>>>>>Made me smile.
>>Me too...
When two anonymous cowards talk to one another in the middle of the slashdot forest, does anybody hear them?
Re:it's now a dead bat (Score:5, Funny)
Bats cannot swallow a whole hotdog
Bats cannot follow the finer details of Neon Genesis Evangelion
Bats aren't horses, sheep or baseball bats
Re:119V-0080 (Score:3, Funny)
Eric the half-a-bat.
Re:119V-0080 (Score:5, Funny)
"No, man, I haven't seen him since last night when he hooked up with that really huuuge white chick. why?"
"Dude, you should have seen it. He was goin' at it with her right out in the open, and all of a sudden she started shaking and smoking. I heard him scream 'YYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWW!', there was a huge flash, she flew away, and that was that last I ever heard from him."
Re:119V-0080 (Score:4, Funny)
He's not an astro-bat! He's a very naughty boy!
Supermanbat (Score:5, Funny)
How do you know that guidance system on the shuttle wasn't sabotaged in an obscure plot for world domination that was narrowly averted by this bat flying in at the last minute and guiding the shuttle into orbit only to return quickly to the offices of the Daily Bat and resume his secret identity has Gerald the Bat, mild mannered reporter.
Re:119V-0080 (Score:3, Funny)
I would have gone with "dead"
Re:it's now a dead bat (Score:5, Funny)
This bat is no more! He has ceased to be! He's expired and gone to meet his maker! He's a stiff! Bereft of life, he rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed him to the perch he'd be pushing up the daisies! His metabolic processes are now history! He's off the twig! He's kicked the bucket, he's shuffled off his mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleeding choir invisible!! THIS IS AN EX-BAT!!
Re:it's now a dead bat (Score:5, Funny)
Bats aren't horses, sheep or baseball bats
In the face of all the potential examples of what bats are not, your failure to pick 3 things is mind-boggling.
the next headline will read... (Score:2, Funny)
Check out CNN's brilliant reporting on this event (Score:5, Funny)
So Long... (Score:2, Funny)
NASA finds, among a pile of junk mail, a gift-wrapped bowl inscribed with the words "So Long and Thanks for All the Gnats."
That's it people, the Earth is fraked. The Vogon demolition fleet must be on its way.
Re:119V-0080 (Score:5, Funny)
And they're not accelerating upwards (I hope)
some of those crazy cars go at 9.8ft/s^2 (+ or - a little for air resistance) as for weighing 4.6 million tons, there is a car (vehicle) that goes .5 mph and weighs a lot.
Its the thing that carries the shuttle to the launch pad.....
Re:mad as a hatter (Score:5, Funny)
Little bat, clinging.
I can has space travel please?
HOLY SHIT, blast off!
Has Disney optioned his life story yet? (Score:4, Funny)
I smell a Disney Adventure movie. I hope they're in talked to his agent.
Re:119V-0080 (Score:2, Funny)
"Going to space, BRB"
Re:Mynock (Score:2, Funny)
If it was a girl bat (Score:5, Funny)
I would have named her "Misty".
Re:119V-0080 (Score:3, Funny)
i can haz spaceflight?
Yes, u can haz. [icanhascheezburger.com]
Re:119V-0080 (Score:5, Funny)
We all know that if they had put it to a vote it would have been named "Colbert".
Re:119V-0080 (Score:2, Funny)
Your wish is our (edited) command...
lolbat [icanhascheezburger.com]
Re:119V-0080 (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Somehow I doubt it (Score:4, Funny)
Playing too much Nethack [wikia.com], are we?
Fear and Loathing in Space (Score:4, Funny)
We can't stop here! This is bat country!
OT: Your sig (Score:5, Funny)
Genesis 1:32 And God typed :wq!
Wow, you're treading on thin ice here. I mean there are some things that should never be made fun of. Do you realize how many people could take offense at this "joke"? People could be screaming "blasphemy" and worse! I'm personally not offended, but I think a lot of people wouldn't be so tolerant. I think you are running the risk of creating hatred and even violence with this kind of mockery.
I mean, implying that the Creator of the Universe doesn't use Emacs? That's harsh... where's your sense of decorum and respect for other people's religions?!
Re:OT: Your sig (Score:3, Funny)
If the creator did use Emacs it would come with a decent text editor.
Re:119V-0080 (Score:1, Funny)
And I'm sure you meant 9.8 m/s^2
Using SI units doesn't automatically make you right.
Re:119V-0080 (Score:1, Funny)
You worked at NASA on the Mars Orbiter project, didn't you?
Bats leaving (Score:4, Funny)
Re:OT: Your sig (Score:3, Funny)
Re:OT: Your sig (Score:5, Funny)
Could God create an editor that sucks so badly even He couldn't use it?
(joke purposefully phrased to be editor-agnostic)
Re:119V-0080 (Score:3, Funny)
" Hey hav u seen Brian around? "
" Naw, last I saw him he was taking off like a bat outta Hell... "
Re:it's now a dead bat (Score:2, Funny)
Oh, Fry, I love how you can *REMEMBER TWO THINGS*
Re:OT: Your sig (Score:2, Funny)
To answer your question, No.
Microsoft beat god to it in 2007..
Re:Name for the bat (Re:119V-0080) (Score:2, Funny)
Re:119V-0080 (Score:3, Funny)
/ Should have checked one more time apparently
Re:Name for the bat (Re:119V-0080) (Score:3, Funny)
Last time I checked, small flying animals with feathers were called birds.
Bats are mammals and have fur.
Never have I ever encountered a more opportune moment to cry "Whoosh"...
Re:From the bat's point of view? (Score:2, Funny)
After a serious crash he was asked what went through his mind at the time. He replied, "My arse."