Three Years Later, Remembering Space Bat

Space. The final frontier.

Three years ago today, bolstered by the dreams of his forefathers, one brave bat set to do the seemingly impossible. To touch the heavens. To shed these earthly bounds and to boldly go where no bat has gone before.

On March 15, 2009, a bat clung to the Space Shuttle Discovery as it ignited its engines and rocketed skyward. NASA, aware of the bat, hoped he would dislodge himself upon ignition but later reported that the small, winged mammal had likely burned up in the Earth's atmosphere as Discovery hurled towards the infinity of space.

It is often said that man is drawn to space as he was once drawn to the open sea. It's impossible to know now what Space Bat's motivations were, but one thing is for certain... he hangs now, wings proudly crossed at his chest, from the tree branch of eternity.

Godspeed, Space Bat!