A crew filming a documentary looking for the wreckage of an aircraft from World War II discovered something surprising instead. They discovered a huge piece of the Challenger. The Challenger is the space shuttle that broke apart and killed all seven people that were onboard almost forty years ago.
NASA confirmed the discovery on Thursday, saying its officials viewed footage of the underwater dive off the east coast of Florida.
“[T]his tragedy will forever be seared in the collective memory of our country,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said. “This discovery gives us an opportunity to pause once again, to uplift the legacies of the seven pioneers we lost, and to reflect on how this tragedy changed us.”
NASA manager Michael Ciannilli said it’s one of the biggest pieces of Challenger found since the accident on Jan. 28, 1986, and the first remnant to be discovered since two fragments from the left wing washed ashore in 1996.
“Of course, the emotions come back, right?” Ciannilli said. “My heart skipped a beat, I must say, and it brought me right back to 1986… and what we all went through as a nation.”
From what they can see the piece is at least 15 feet by 15 feet. NASA thinks it may be even bigger, but it is partly covered by sand. They also believe it is a piece from the shuttle’s belly. As of right now, the fragments are still on the ocean floor. NASA is determining what the next steps are, but the fragment is still the property of the U.S. government.
Roughly 118 tons of Challenger debris, or roughly 47% of the entire vehicle, have been recovered, including parts of the two solid-fuel boosters and external fuel tank.
Most of the recovered wreckage remains buried in abandoned missile silos at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The exception is a left-side shuttle panel on display at Kennedy Space Center’s visitor complex.
The History Channels is airing a documentary about the newest Challenger discovery. It will air on November 22, 2022.
Source Fox News
