Spider 'attacks' Nasa space shuttle Atlantis

The Telegraph ^ | 12/13/07 | Megan Levy

[bruinbirdman]

A giant spider has attacked the space shuttle Atlantis as it attempted to blast off into space.

At least, that's how it appeared when the inquisitive arachnid crawled onto Nasa’s launch camera at Cape Canaveral in Florida at the weekend.

Watch: Footage of the spider 'attack' on YouTube

For 26 seconds, the magnified beast could be seen on webcam appearing to take a bite out of the shuttle’s nose cone as it sat on the launch pad awaiting lift-off.

Then, just as abruptly as it appeared, the spider wandered off screen.

The Atlantis launch was eventually delayed – although the eight-legged encounter was not to blame.

Faulty fuel tank sensors, a problem that has plagued Nasa since 2005, forced controllers to delay the mission until Jan 2 at the earliest.

The Atlantis and its crew of seven, including a German and a French astronaut, will eventually attempt to install a new laboratory on the International Space Station.

[perfect stranger]

It was a Who song.

[dr_lew]

Life imitates art!

[Slings and Arrows]

Be sure to check out the video in post #6.

[djf]

Obviously in cahoots with the giant mountain sucking fly.



Trend, ya think?

[Cheapskate]

"Everything sounds better on a stolen guitar,

you're messin with a spider from Mars."

David Bowie

[hoagy62]

Oh No! Call Algore! Global warming has created giant spiders! AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

[MozarkDawg]

[mewzilla]

Aspiga!

[mewzilla]

=8-0

[jiggyboy]

greatest moster-movie poster since the early 60's

[Batman11]

What’s really ironically funny about this is that one of the Atlantis astronauts, Leland Melvin, is a University of Richmond alumnus. What is UR’s nickname? The SPIDERS of course!

[P.O.E.]