Write a comment
Divers off the east coast of Florida have discovered remnants from the Space Shuttle Challenger which exploded after liftoff from Cape Canaveral more than 36 years ago.
A television crew inadvertently made the find while searching for the wreckage of a WWII-era warplane at the bottom of the Atlantic.
That's where the dive team noticed a large, flat metal object with distinct 8-in Divers off the east coast of Florida have discovered remnants from the Space Shuttle Challenger which exploded after liftoff from Cape Canaveral more than 36 years ago.
A television crew inadvertently made the find while searching for the wreckage of a WWII-era warplane at the bottom of the Atlantic.
That's where the dive team noticed a large, flat metal object with distinct 8-inch square tiles laying on the ocean floor.
The item's proximity to Florida's Space Coast prompted the History Channel crew to contact NASA, which issued a statement Thursday confirming the item was indeed a piece from Challenger.
The discovery was the first related to the doomed space flight in more than 25 years, with NASA taking possession of the artifact as required by law.
The explosion that destroyed Challenger occurred 73 seconds after liftoff, killing all seven astronauts aboard, including flight commander Francis R. "Dick" Scobee; pilot Michael J. Smith; mission specialist Ronald E. McNair, who would have been the second Black astronaut to reach space; Ellison S. Onizuka, who was the first Asian-American in space; engineer Gregory B. Jarvis; and Christa McAuliffe, who had been selected to become the first schoolteacher in space.
"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," NASA Administrator wrote. "For millions around the globe, myself included, Jan. 28, 1986, still feels like yesterday."
An investigation later found that fuel seals in segments of the ship's solid rocket boosters had been compromised due to ice and freezing temperatures on the day of the launch.
The documentary about the unexpected discovery is set to air on Nov. 22 on History Channel, although the entire series is about the mystery surrounding vessels that have disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle.
The space shuttle program was retired in 2011 following the Columbia disaster in 2003 that killed an additional seven shuttle astronauts.
Related Links
Rocket Science News at Space-Travel.Com
|
| Tweet |
| Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution. | ||
| SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly |  | SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once credit card or paypal |
Gilmour Space completes final qualification test of Sirius rocket engine
Gold Coast, Australia (SPX) Nov 08, 2022
Australian rocket engineers at Gilmour Space Technologies have successfully completed the final qualification test of its main Sirius hybrid rocket engine, paving the way for the country's first orbital launch attempt of an Australian-made rocket next year. The Queensland-based rocket company is developing Eris, a three-stage launch vehicle that will be a cost effective and greener alternative to traditional liquid and solid propulsion rockets. "What you see here is Sirius, our main hybrid r ... read more