Spiders Get Their Space Legs

November 21, 2008

A pair of spiders flying as an educational project aboard the International Space Station seem to have gotten the hang of weightlessness.

Their first orbital orbs were messy, disorganized affairs, but a week into the flight television images beamed back to Earth showed surprising progress.

“We noticed the spider made a symmetrical web,” station commander Mike Fincke radioed to ground controllers on Friday. “We’re really amazed that the spider could adapt to space so quickly.”

Flight directors replied that the spider video had become the team’s favorite form of entertainment.

“We used to be your major form of entertainment,” Fincke replied. “We’ve been overtaken by spiders.”

(Credit: NASA/University of Colorado)

Spacey Spiders Spin One Tangled Web

November 19, 2008

A pair of spiders launched aboard the space shuttle last week for an educational project have made themselves a home in space, though the webs are not up to Earthly standards.

“It looks like … more of a tangled disorganized-looking web than a 'Charlotte's Web' kind of web,” station crewmember Sandra Magnus reported to flight controllers. ‘It is all over the inside of the box.”

The critters are flying inside a commercially developed chamber and will remain aboard the station after the shuttle’s departure next week.

“We’re happy to see our new pets on board and see them in action,” said station commander Mike Fincke.

One of the spiders appears to be a bit camera shy: It has not been seen since the apparatus, which also contains butterfly larvae, was set up on the space station.

'We don't believe he has escaped,” said station program manager Kirk Shireman. “I am sure we will find him spinning a web somewhere in the next few days."