"Keke" Carrington-Holmes, the world's first space cat, was launched in 1986 on the Space Shuttle Challenger. Keke belonged to Melissa Carrington and William Holmes, two school-teachers in South Beach who volunteered Keke in exchange for $1,000 and a $20,000 life insurance policy from State Farm. This incident marked the last time the company offered an inter-orbital veterinary life insurance policy, as the couple not only received the $20,000 payment but sued the company for negligent care and received an additional $250,000. Ms. Carrington and Mr. Holmes also sued NASA for the organization's suppression of Keke's experience from the public discourse. In fact, it was not until this lawsuit was filed in 1992 that Keke's identity was revealed to the public. Keke was not on the flight manifest and therefore not counted among the casualties.

Melissa and William are now lobbyists for the space industry. This has struck many as strange and conspiracy theories abound as to why they would take up a cause that seems juxtaposed to their personal experience with space travel by way of their English shorthair cats's untimely death.

The couple operates "Jacob's Ladder," an NGO promoting the spirit of space travel in the humanistic tradition of Carl Sagan as well as encouraging the general public to spay and neuter their pets.

that's freaking awesome.

In keeping with Galileo's "The Music of the Spheres," there is a site dedicated to Keke. Apparently, Melissa and Walter said Keke used to have an almost cherubic meow that lilted and sounds strangely.... musical. A collection of MIDIs (it's an old site) and photographs portray the life and times of Keke in her time on Earth. It's a heartbreaking tribute and I hope you all take the time to look through it.

What did I tell you about that?

some astronauts even believe the spirit of Keke is a kind of "patron saint of space travel," many going so far as to liken Keke as similar to the Star Child in the 2001 saga. the Star Child, for those who don't know, is a symbol of mankind's next step in evolution, just as the step from monkey to man occurred. at the end of 2001's novelization, the Star Child looks down to Earth, and with a benevolent omnipotence, prevents the citizens of the world from destroying each other.

well my cat pooped in my bed and then scratched my eye while i was sleeping so i am more than willing to send her into outer space

It has been my experience that this sort of behavior is typical of cats. I can only infer from this that 'cat people' are masochists.

i hate cats
they should all be sent to space

I prefer Laika the space dog.

I love this thread.

What might have been .....