Section of destroyed shuttle Challenger found on ocean floor

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A large section of the destroyed space shuttle Challenger has been found buried in sand at the bottom of the Atlantic. NASA’s Kennedy Space Center announced the discovery Thursday (Nov. 10, 2022). Divers for a TV documentary crew spotted the piece in March, and NASA recently verified that it was part of the shuttle that broke apart during liftoff in 1986. All seven on board were killed, including the first schoolteacher bound for space, Christa McAuliffe. The remnant is more than 15 feet by 15 feet and remains on the ocean floor just off the Florida coast near Cape Canaveral. The piece is believed to be from the shuttle’s belly.