Debris from the Challenger shuttle disaster which exploded two minutes after take-off and killed all seven crew members has been found off the Florida coast.
The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded in 1986 killing all seven crew members on board after it malfunctioned just 73 seconds after taking-off.
However, a TV documentary crew searching for Second World War aircraft wreckage found the debris after noticing a huge human-made object on the seafloor.
It is the first discovery of the wreckage from the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger in more than 25 years.
After realising the proximity of the Florida Space Coast and the item's construction the documentary group got in touch with NASA to check it belonged to them.
Nasa administrator Bill Nelson said: “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.
“For millions around the globe, myself included, January 28, 1986 still feels like yesterday.
“This discovery gives us an opportunity to pause once again, to uplift the legacies of the seven pioneers we lost, and to reflect on how this tragedy changed us.”
An investigation into the tragic crash uncovered how cold temperatures the night before affected the Challenger rocket.
Space shuttle employees were concerned when they started to notice ice starting to form on the shuttle.
The spacecraft was left in freezing temperatures at the Kennedy Space Centre launch pad in Florida overnight but despite reservations from colleagues shuttle managers cleared the mission for launch.
Kennedy Space Center Director Janet Petro said: “Challenger and her crew live on in the hearts and memories of both NASA and the nation.
“Today, as we turn our sights again toward the Moon and Mars, we see that the same love of exploration that drove the Challenger crew is still inspiring the astronauts of today’s Artemis Generation, calling them to build on the legacy of knowledge and discovery for the benefit of all humanity.”
The six members who lost their lives included Francis Scobee and pilot Michael Smith along with Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Gregory Jarvis and Christa McAuliffe.
The object found by the documentary group will be handed over to NASA who will decide what to do with the artefact.
They are debating how best to honour the legacy of the Challenger's astronauts and families.
Space shuttle artefacts are property of the US government by law and any members of the public who think they have discovered a NASA artefact should contact them.
The History Channel documentary, which shows the discovery of the Challenger debris, will be shown on November 22.
