Godspeed, Space Bat

A bat that was clinging to space shuttle Discovery’s external fuel tank during the countdown to launch the STS-119 mission remained with the spacecraft as it cleared the tower, analysts at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center concluded.

Based on images and video, a wildlife expert who provides support to the center said the small creature was a free tail bat that likely had a broken left wing and some problem with its right shoulder or wrist. The animal likely perished quickly during Discovery’s climb into orbit.

Because the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge coexists inside Kennedy Space Center, the launch pads have a number of measures available, including warning sirens, to deter birds and other creatures from getting too close. The launch team also uses radar to watch for birds before a shuttle liftoff.

Nevertheless, the bat stayed in place and it was seen changing positions from time to time.

Launch controllers spotted the bat after it had clawed onto the foam of the external tank as Discovery stood at Launch Pad 39A. The temperature never dropped below 60 degrees at that part of the tank, and infrared cameras showed that the bat was 70 degrees through launch.

The final inspection team that surveys the outside of the shuttle and tank for signs of ice buildup observed the small bat, hoping it would wake up and fly away before the shuttle engines ignited.

It was not the first bat to land on a shuttle during a countdown. Previously, one of the winged creatures landed on the tank during the countdown to launch shuttle Columbia on its STS-90 mission in 1998.

NASA

I have no life

Today, I realized that I have no life. (Well, ordinarily having no life, I guess I would not even possess the absence of a life.)

I slept in until 11 a.m.; I didn't feel like going out this morning because I had nothing to do and I was broke. Fair enough. I had a leftover sandwich for lunch (a vegetarian focaccia) from work last night.

My midday revolved around my anticipation for UBC's self-reporting of grades for early admission. Not having applied to other universities (I didn't want to go to other universities), I was eager to get official acceptance into UBC. It should come as no surprise that my marks are abnormally high for an arts program. It turns out that they changed the start of reporting from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.; work started at 3.

Work was quiet and uneventful, as it always is. Closing shifts (3 p.m. - 7 p.m.) are always like that. We finished the close 15 minutes early as usual. Picked up an abnormal amount of tomato and pesto focaccias as well as pecan cinnamon buns.

Dinner was filet mignon at my grandma's apartment. It was a great roast and I got to see some of the Canucks game (I don't have TSN at home).

The family went home. I self-reported my grades, read over some UBC stuff, played guitar, and then went to Rock Band 2 where I spent over 5 hours on a single challenge.

I spent 5 hours, consecutively, on a video game and I have nothing to show for it. (Granted, I play a mean guitar but that's beside the point).

I have no life.

Catingub's Wager

Give me a movie title and I can pervert it, no problem.

"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?"

(That's Latin for "Who watches the Watchmen?", from the Roman poet Juvenal.)

Today Watchmen comes out in theatres. I've been looking forward to this movie since June 23, 2006. That's almost two-and-a-half years of waiting. Tonight, at 5:45 p.m. I get to see if it lives up to my expectations. Here's to that!

Oh, and to keep you all occupied before you watch, and I implore you to, here's a scan from the original comic. This series of panels stars Silk Spectre II and Nite Owl II.



Okay, I lied. It's a Photoshop.