A large portion of the Challenger space shuttle was found deep in the Atlantic Ocean near the Cape Canaveral, Florida coast recently by a History Channel documentary crew. The spacecraft exploded shortly after liftoff on January 28, 1988, killing all seven on board.
According to CBS News, NASA has confirmed Thursday that divers who were working on the documentary found a "large humanmade object" covered in sand and in "proximity to the Florida Space Coast" that was part of the Challenger space shuttle.
The History Channel crew were not searching for the shuttle part but were looking for a World War II-era aircraft's wreckage.
The explosion from 37 years ago that killed the entire crew, including the first schoolteacher headed to outer space, Christa McAuliffe, of New Hampshire.
The explosion was witnessed live by school children across the US, who watched the lift off on television in the schools. The explosion was shocking and horrific for many students, who have lasting memories of witnessing the tragic failure of the flight.
NASA’s Kennedy Space Center verified the wreckage was authentic via a press release.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said, "While it has been nearly 37 years since seven daring and brave explorers lost their lives aboard Challenger, this tragedy will forever be seared in the collective memory of our country. For millions around the globe, myself included, Jan. 28, 1986, still feels like yesterday."
"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. At NASA, the core value of safety is – and must forever remain – our top priority, especially as our missions explore more of the cosmos than ever before," he added.
According to the Associated Press, the NASA manager responsible for the remains of both the Challenger and Columbia shuttles, Michael Ciannilli, said, "Upon first hearing about it, it brings you right back to 1986," and that he notified all the families of the crew who died.
NASA believes the discovered portion is from the belly of the shuttle due square thermal tiles identified on the object. It's over 15 feet by 15 feet in size and was heavily covered in sand when discovered.
The History Channel plans to air a documentary about the discovery on November 22 and posted a video on Twitter of the divers inspecting the wreckage.
NASA said they intend to "honor the legacy of Challenger's fallen astronauts and the families who loved them."
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