Inspector Gadget tackles 'The Case of the Experimental Space Tether'

One thing we love about scientist-types is their nerdy humor, so when researchers launch a trio of satellites next month to test the feasibility of space tether propulsion, the 'gadget' tasked with 'inspecting' the line will obviously be referred to as bumbling cartoon detective Inspector Gadget. The mission -- called MAST (for Multi-Application Survivable Tether) -- is scheduled to begin April 17th with a payload launch on a Dnepr rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, after which the Washington state-based Tethers Unlimited's two anchor sats (less-cleverly dubbed Ted and Ralph -- um, hello, Penny and Brain...) will gradually separate until they've pulled the kilometer-long line taut. That's when Inspector Gadget goes into action, traveling back and forth across the triple-braided tether at a snail-like .006 mph, all the while using its built-in camera to search for damage caused by radiation, micrometeoroids, and other nasty space stuff. Eventually the company is hoping to use its research to create orbiting systems that can fling other satellites into deep space, but seeing how the last Dnepr rocket crashed and burned on liftoff in 2006, Team Tether is probably best off taking this endeavor one step at a time.

[Ashley Allen @ Mar 29th 2007 10:36AM]

Ted and Ralph are characters from a sketch on the Fast Show, a BBC comedy.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zGBTrCZObyA

[Rex @ Mar 29th 2007 10:47AM]

Come on, Penny?!?

If you are going to make a suggestion at least get the names right. For you future reference it is Pinky and the Brain.

[Chris Evans @ Mar 29th 2007 10:55AM]

Um... I think you meant Pinky and the Brain... I don't recall a Penny and Brain. But maybe I missed something.

[GreenGiant @ Mar 29th 2007 11:00AM]

Pinky and the Brain, but whatevah

[Doug @ Mar 29th 2007 12:51PM]

You're wrong, but whatevah.

[Ben Langley @ Mar 29th 2007 11:05AM]

@Rex

Penny and Brain were Inspector Gadget's niece and her dog, respectively.

[Rex @ Mar 29th 2007 12:16PM]

Oh, right. Forgot about that. I have not seen inspector gadget it upwards of 10 years now.

[AdamC @ Mar 29th 2007 11:42AM]

Penny and Brain for the win. You young'ens need to watch some older cartoons. Cheif Quimby needs to be in there too.

[Mike @ Mar 29th 2007 12:46PM]

Does this mean that there is a Dr. Claw over seeing the project? If so, shouldn't they change the name from MAST to MAD?

[Woolly Mittens @ Mar 29th 2007 12:10PM]

"Inspect-her-gadget", giggles wildly.

[strider_mt2k @ Mar 29th 2007 12:42PM]

Good luck with the mission!

Seems like delivery systems are the hard part nowadays.

(crossed fingers)

[Doug @ Mar 29th 2007 12:54PM]

lol @ wooly :)

[Jeff Lewis @ Mar 29th 2007 5:03PM]

More to the point, the device's NAMES are "Ted", "Ralph" and "Gadget" and their FUNCTIONS are "Tether Deploy", "Tether Endmass" and "Tether Inspector" respectively... so really the right way to refer to it would be "Gadget, Tether Inspector" like "Fargo North, Decoder" or "Gadget the Tether Inspector" like "Rosie the Riveter" - so the entire joke is kind of forced at best.

And yeah, it would be Penny and Brain.

[Jeff Lewis @ Mar 29th 2007 5:05PM]

Damn.. "Rosie the Robot". :)

[NervClaX @ Mar 30th 2007 8:38PM]

Inspector Gadget for Make Benefit Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan?

[Mike @ Apr 2nd 2007 6:10PM]

A doctor named John Smith can be called either Doctor Smith or John Smith, Ph.D. I think Tether Inspector Gadget works just as well as Gadget, Tether Inspector. In my opinion the joke isn't forced at all.

However, I must agree that it would be Penny and Brain. Why would Pinky and the Brain be associated with Inspector Gadget?

[StomperGames @ Jul 2nd 2008 2:04PM]

space tether - we cant even get to the moon anymore

- http://www.stompergames.com