Parts of Wing, Fuselage Bearing Shuttle’s Name Are Recovered

A Navy salvage ship Thursday brought to port parts of a wing, landing gear and fuselage from the destroyed space shuttle, including a piece with the word Challenger stenciled in black on it, officials said.

The shuttle, destroyed after liftoff Jan. 28, had its name written across both sides of the forward fuselage next to the crew compartment and on its right tail. Experts were examining the recovered material to identify how it fits into the mosaic of wreckage being assembled in a hangar.

“We don’t know precisely what this debris consists of until the experts get a chance to look at it,” Lt. Cmdr. Deborah Burnette said. She added that there were no reports of further recovery of remains of the seven crew members killed in the disaster.

Search Work Slowed

Strong Atlantic currents slowed the work of the search flotilla and Navy and Coast Guard divers for a second straight day.

Investigators are preparing an official accident report, to be presented to President Reagan by June 6. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has not said how long underwater recovery work will continue.

Objectives of the search include crew remains, pieces of the crew cabin and the segment of Challenger’s apparently flawed right booster rocket below the bottom joint.

The predominant theory is that the disaster was triggered by hot gases and flames escaping through that joint during launch.

Budget Approved

In Washington, meanwhile, the House space subcommittee Thursday approved NASA’s budget without major changes, leaving the shuttle program intact while awaiting word on whether the Administration wants to replace Challenger.

The panel, chaired by Rep. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), approved legislation authorizing NASA to spend almost $7.7 billion in the fiscal year starting Oct. 1.