Which ocean received the shuttle's solid rocket boosters after parachute splashdown?

The Space Shuttle’s solid rocket boosters parachuted into the Atlantic Ocean after splashdown.

The two reusable boosters supplied most of the shuttle stack’s thrust during liftoff and the first two minutes of ascent. At roughly 150,000 feet, they separated from the external tank and orbiter, continuing upward briefly before descending under a recovery parachute system.

The boosters were designed to survive a controlled ocean impact. Pilot, drogue, and main parachutes slowed them, while trapped air helped keep the empty casings afloat. Specialized NASA recovery ships located the boosters, drained their seawater, and towed them back to Kennedy Space Center for inspection and refurbishment.

A common mix-up is confusing the boosters with the external tank. The tank was not recovered; it reentered and broke apart. The boosters, by contrast, were recovered and reused, making them one of the shuttle program’s most distinctive reusable components.