History Channel - Recovery of part of Space Shuttle Challenger

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SUMMARY

The History Channel and NASA announced the discovery of a 20-foot-long piece of debris from the Space Shuttle Challenger off Florida’s east coast during the filming of the series "The Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters." This segment was found by a dive team led by Mike Barnette while searching for a WWII-era rescue plane that vanished in December 1945. The Challenger tragically broke apart shortly after its launch on January 28, 1986, resulting in the deaths of all seven crew members, including the first civilian slated for space travel. The find raises questions about other potential artifacts in the area.

PREREQUISITES
  • Knowledge of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and its historical context.
  • Understanding of the Bermuda Triangle's significance in maritime lore.
  • Familiarity with underwater exploration techniques and equipment.
  • Awareness of the History Channel's programming and documentary filmmaking.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the historical impact of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster on space exploration policies.
  • Explore the methodologies used in underwater archaeology and artifact recovery.
  • Investigate other significant discoveries in the Bermuda Triangle region.
  • Learn about the production and storytelling techniques used in documentary series like "The Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters."
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for historians, underwater archaeologists, documentary filmmakers, and educators interested in space exploration and maritime history.

Astronuc
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Explorers trudged the Atlantic Ocean searching for World War II artifacts lost at sea, but they stumbled on something else — a 20-foot-long piece of debris from the Space Shuttle Challenger, which was destroyed shortly after takeoff in 1986.

The History Channel and NASA revealed Thursday that the Challenger segment was discovered off Florida’s east coast during the filming of a new series called “The Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters.” The series is set to premiere this month on the History Channel.

The Challenger broke apart after its launch on January 28, 1986, killing all seven crew members aboard, including a teacher was set to become the first civilian in space. TV viewers, especially students in schools across the US, watched a live broadcast of the blast in horror that morning.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/10/world/shuttle-challenger-nasa-discovered-documentary-crew-scn

Mike Barnette and his team of investigators set off in March to search suspected shipwreck sites in the Bermuda Triangle, a swath of the northern Atlantic Ocean said to be the site of dozens of shipwrecks and plane crashes. The team also set its sights on one area outside the triangle, just off Florida’s Space Coast, where NASA has launched rockets since its inception.

The team was searching for a WWII-era rescue plane that mysteriously disappeared in December 1945, but a more modern object partially covered by sand on the seafloor sparked interest and further investigation from the dive team, according to the History Channel.
 
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berkeman said:
:oops:
Of course, it's the History Channel after all.

I'm not particularly interested in theories about the Bermuda Triangle.

It was serendipitous that they were searching for lost/missing aircraft, but instead found a piece of Space Shuttle Challenger. Perhaps there is more out there.
 
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Yes, I saw that. I think it was the tiles that made them think it wasn't an aircraft.
 

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