A TV documentary team found one of the largest pieces of the space shuttle Challenger on the ocean floor.
The artifact, which was found by the crew filming The History Channel's new series "The Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters", was positively identified by NASA due to its modern construction and heat shield. The segment of Challenger was found off the coast of Florida.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said that the discovery gave them an opportunity to pause and reflect on how the tragedy changed them. It has been 37 years since seven brave explorers lost their lives on Challenger, and this tragedy will always be remembered. It feels like 1986 for millions of people around the world.
The Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its 25th launch after seals in one of the vehicle's two solid rocket boosters failed.
In the wake of the tragedy, the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard conducted the largest search and rescue operation in their history. The operation involved thousands of people, 16 surface vessels, a nuclear-powered research submarine and several robotic and crewed submersibles systematically inspecting more than 486 square nautical miles (1,666 square kilometers) of ocean floor.
There were 167 pieces of the shuttle recovered after seven months. A tracking and data relay satellite and an astronomy tool were among the three primary payloads.
After being analyzed to learn what caused the failure, the debris was placed into two silos, each 78 feet deep by 12 feet in diameter, which had previously supported Minuteman missiles. As additional pieces have washed up on shore, the silos have been added to the archive.
In 2015, for the first and only time to date, NASA placed a large section of space shuttle Challenger's fuselage on public display as part of "Forever Remembered", a permanent memorial to the nation's fallen shuttle crews.
The History Channel has found the first major wreck from the disaster in more than two decades.
We can see a section of about 15 feet by 15 feet. The true size of the item is difficult to determine at this point because it extends deeper into the sand. Mike Cianelli, program manager of NASA's Apollo, Challenger and Columbia Lessons Learned Program, said in a video statement that he was certain that it was one of the largest pieces ever found.
The History Channel film crew was not looking for a piece of Challenger. In March of 2022, the team embarked on a series of scout dives to investigate several suspected wreck targets off the coast of Florida, with one of those targets being outside of theBermuda Triangle. While searching for five U.S. Navy torpedo bombers on a mission code-named Flight 19 that had also disappeared earlier that day, the divers looked for the wreck of a PBM Martin Mariner rescue plane.
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The team found a modern looking aviation structure instead of World War II-era plane debris. After consulting with an outside expert and completing a second dive, the TV film crew presented the evidence to Bruce Melnick, who thought it was a piece of the Challenger. The producers of the show brought the find to the attention of NASA and they confirmed it was a remnant of the fallen shuttle.
Mike Barnette, leader of the History Channel team that made the discovery, said in a statement that the significance of the large section of Challenger's structure was obvious. It was necessary for us to bring this find to the attention of NASA. The loss of seven brave astronauts is marked by the site which is outside of theBermuda Triangle off the Florida coast.
The first thing we did was notify the families of the space shuttle Challenger so they were aware of it.
The first episode of The History Channel's six-part series is scheduled to premiere in November.
Eli Lehrer, executive vice president and head of programming for The History Channel, said that the find's historical significance couldn't be overstated. The Challenger is an important part of our nation's history and we are proud to bring it to light.
The debris from the space shuttle Challenger is owned by the United States. The History Channel found a way to honor the legacies of the fallen astronauts and their families.
We are currently reviewing options of how to proceed after this discovery. The memory and legacy of the crew and the families will be put foremost in NASA's thoughts and planning. It is important to remember the crew and the mission.
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