Remains of Space Shuttle Challenger found in Bermuda Triangle
A team from Canal Historia filming a documentary in the Bermuda Triangle in search of a plane from World War II found wreckage from the Challenger shuttle.
On January 28, 1986, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched the Challenger space shuttle from Cape Canaveral (at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida). The goal was to put the TDRS-B communications satellite and the SPARTAN-Halley astronomical platform into orbit. But the plans did not go well and, just a minute after taking off, the ship was engulfed in flames, ending the lives of the seven people who were on board.
Among the crew was Christa McAuliffe, who was to become the first teacher to travel into space to teach stargazing. It was not possible, because shortly afterwards the experts verified an anomaly in the rocket caused by the escape of various gases from one of the booster rockets. This generated a dark cloud that gave rise to the flames as a result, as explained later, of ignition overpressure. A report confirmed that the previous night’s cold and frost affected the integrity of the booster rocket segment’s O-ring seals.
The remains of the aircraft fell into the sea and to this day it is considered the worst accident in the history of space exploration. The gas escape was perforating the main fuel tank, until finally the explosion took place. Since then, isolated remains have been found, due to the state of the shuttle after the accident. The last one, until now, was in 1996, when two remains of the left wing were found. Now NASA confirms a new finding in an area of the Bermuda Triangle.
The Greatest Shuttle Find
A team from the History Channel was in the Bermuda Triangle to film a documentary about the place when, in March, they found some remains that drew their attention. Their objective was to find a World War II rescue plane in the waters off Florida, but they came across something they didn’t expect. Then, one of the divers suggested to his partner that he not touch the piece, since they did not know what it could be.
Now NASA confirms that it is remains of this space shuttle, and is the largest since the year of the tragedy, when fragments of both the Challenger shuttle and the crew compartment were found. All of them, by law, are the property of the United States Government, and are in a sealed missile silo.
Shuttle part
The fragment found measures around 15 x 15 feet, although it is possible that it is even larger, since it is partially covered with sand. Different thermal mosaics can be distinguished on it, which indicates that it is a piece that was part of the belly of the shuttle. “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,” explains Bill Nelson, administrator from NASA.
The fateful accident meant the paralysis of all space flights for 32 months by the Ronald Reagan administration. The launch was scheduled as the agency’s 25th shuttle mission, but it did not go as expected. The cold of the previous night caused ice to form on the shuttle, affecting its operation. Several employees expressed their concerns, but the managers authorized its launch: at 11:38 am it left for space, and just a minute later the tragedy was confirmed. An accident that affected NASA’s culture of safety. Now, action is being considered to honor the legacy of the deceased astronauts.