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What really happened to NASA’s famous Space Frog

He's OK.

 

Cooper Fleishman

Internet Culture

Posted on Sep 12, 2013   Updated on Jun 1, 2021, 6:41 am CDT

When NASA launched its LADEE probe to the moon Sept. 6, most of us were lucky to get a glimpse of a streak of light in the air. But the best view in the house belonged to an unfortunate frog who happened to be chilling on the actual launchpad. A literal fire under Space Frog’s ass sent him flying into Internet fame. Here he is, suspended like a Breaking Bad cliffhanger.


 

What happened to the poor dude? Is he all right? Now, thanks to @darth, we know:


 

On Reddit, r/photoshopbattles proposed another, even more bizarre theory: He turned into a Ninja Turtle.


 

And the photo analysis experts at HyperVocal discovered it wasn’t a frog at all:


 

Whew. At least he’s not dead.

…Right?

H/T @darth | Photo via NASA/Wallops/Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport

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*First Published: Sep 12, 2013, 1:25 pm CDT