SpaceBat

About

Shortly before the takeoff of NASA’s Discovery space shuttle in March 2009, a free tail bat was spotted on the launch pad clung to the external fuel tank. Based on images and videos from the site , a wildlife expert at the JFK Space center said the creature most likely had a broken wing and some problem with its right shoulder or wrist. Following the wildlife sighting, NASA performed a risk assessment and determined that the shuttle could safely fly with the bat in tow. According to the space agency, the flying mammal likely perished during Discovery’s climb into orbit.

Google Trends: “Space Bat”

Google Trends result for “Space Bat” implies that it was a short-lived tribute on the web.

Tributes

Following the successful launch of Discovery and presumable death of the flying mammal, people began paying their tributes to the bat that came closest to making it out of the Earth.

• “YouTube Tribute Video (Uploaded on March 18, 2009):

• Batman Climbing the Discvoery:

• A ukulele song for the Space Bat:

• Yet Another Tribute Song by 52Weeks

• Tribute Website for the Space Bat

• Facebook Group

• I Am Space Bat

• Google Blog Search

• NASA

• Twittering About Space Bat