During the countdown a bat was seen to be resting on the external tank.
What was originally believed to be a fruit bat was revealed to have been a free-tailed bat that clung onto the fuel tank during the launch.
NASA observers had believed the bat would fly off once the shuttle started to launch, but it did not, and it was probably shaken off and incinerated by the rocket exhaust.
A bat doctor, analyzing pictures, believed the bat had a broken wing which made it unable to fly off.
During the countdown a bat was seen to be resting on the external tank. What was originally believed to be a fruit bat was revealed to have been a free-tailed bat that clung onto the fuel tank during the launch. NASA observers had believed the bat would fly off once the shuttle started to launch, but it did not, and it was probably shaken off and incinerated by the rocket exhaust. A bat doctor, analyzing pictures, believed the bat had a broken wing which made it unable to fly off.
STS-119