{"id":22517,"date":"2026-07-24T11:00:03","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T15:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/?p=22517"},"modified":"2026-07-24T13:36:53","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T17:36:53","slug":"ali-purdue-expedition-to-search-for-amelia-earharts-plane-will-depart-in-october","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/2026\/Q3\/ali-purdue-expedition-to-search-for-amelia-earharts-plane-will-depart-in-october","title":{"rendered":"ALI, Purdue expedition to search for Amelia Earhart\u2019s plane will depart in October"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. \u2014 On Amelia Earhart\u2019s 129th birthday, Archaeological Legacy Institute (ALI), Purdue Research Foundation (PRF) and Purdue University announced Friday (July 24) that the Taraia Object Expedition will depart in October in search of Earhart\u2019s lost aircraft. The expedition seeks to help complete the historic journey that ended with her disappearance 89 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Initially&nbsp;<u><a href=\"https:\/\/stories.prf.org\/purdue-expedition-amelia-earhart\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/stories.prf.org\/purdue-expedition-amelia-earhart\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">announced<\/a><\/u>&nbsp;in 2025, the expedition was postponed while final approvals were&nbsp;sought&nbsp;from the government of Kiribati, the Pacific Ocean island nation that includes Nikumaroro and other parts of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area.&nbsp;Today it was confirmed that the cabinet of the government of Kiribati (pronounced Keer-uh-BAHSS) has approved the Taraia Object Expedition, which is officially moving forward with plans to depart the first week of October.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Public Update on Amelia Earhart Search\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CvB0RsemEIg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The expedition, led by Richard Pettigrew, ALI executive director, will investigate the Taraia Object, a visual anomaly located in a lagoon on Nikumaroro. Expedition members hope to determine whether the object is the remains of Earhart\u2019s Lockheed Electra 10-E aircraft, which disappeared on July 2, 1937, while Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan attempted to circumnavigate the globe. The expedition is based on the Nikumaroro Hypothesis, which holds that Earhart and Noonan landed and were marooned on the remote island located between Hawaii and Australia after failing to reach their intended stop on Howland Island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019re grateful for the patience and enthusiasm of everyone who has followed this journey with us,\u201d Pettigrew said. \u201cThe evidence supporting the Nikumaroro Hypothesis remains compelling, and the only way to answer this question is to go to Nikumaroro, inspect the Taraia Object firsthand and follow the evidence wherever it leads.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"876\" height=\"493\" src=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/earhartexpedition-satellite.png\" alt=\"A satellite image of a beach with a planelike object in the water just off the coast\" class=\"wp-image-17510\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/earhartexpedition-satellite.png 876w, https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/earhartexpedition-satellite-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/earhartexpedition-satellite-768x432.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A satellite image shows the Taraia Object in a lagoon on Nikumaroro. (Photo provided by Rick Pettigrew, Archaeological Legacy Institute)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some members of the expedition will fly out of the Amelia Earhart Terminal at the Purdue University Airport on Oct. 3 and join the entire 16-person team in Tarawa, Kiribati, on Oct. 6. The team \u2014 composed of archaeologists; filmmakers; logistics, scuba and safety personnel; and Kiribati representatives \u2014 will depart Tarawa by sea Oct. 7, sail approximately 830 nautical miles to Nikumaroro and then spend several days on the small island in the search effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Three Purdue representatives will be part of the crew: team lead Steve Schultz, the university\u2019s senior vice president and general counsel, along with Sirisha Bandla and Marc Hagle \u2014 both alumni and members of Purdue\u2019s Cradle of Astronauts. The expedition is supported by RECON Offshore; Kiribati National Shipping Line; The Niswonger Foundation; Columbia Sportswear; Forestry Suppliers; GreenGood Labs; The Museum of Flight; Alvantor; and the U.S. Embassy in Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, and Tuvalu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Earhart\u2019s connection to Purdue dates to 1935, when she joined the university as a counselor on careers for women and an advisor to Purdue\u2019s Department of Aeronautics. Through the Amelia Earhart Fund for Aeronautical Research, Purdue Research Foundation financed the purchase of Earhart\u2019s Lockheed Electra, which she referred to as her \u201cFlying Laboratory.\u201d Earhart intended to return the aircraft to Purdue following her around-the-world flight to support future aeronautical research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nearly nine decades after her disappearance, Earhart\u2019s legacy remains deeply connected to Purdue through its archives, aviation programs and the Amelia Earhart Terminal at the Purdue Airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFor generations of Boilermakers, Amelia Earhart has been more than a pioneering aviator; she has been part of the Purdue family,\u201d Schultz said. \u201cShe challenged conventions, pushed the boundaries of what was possible and inspired countless others to do the same. As we prepare to embark on this expedition, we do so with a deep sense of responsibility to her legacy and a determination to seek answers that have eluded the world for decades.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Nikumaroro Hypothesis, as <a href=\"http:\/\/archaeologychannel.org\/taraia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">updated by ALI<\/a> with new evidence for the Taraia Object, is based on documentary records, photographs and satellite images, physical evidence, and personal testimony, including these highlights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Radio bearings recorded from transmissions at the time by the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard and Pan American World Airways, which converge on Nikumaroro<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A 2018 analysis of human bones discovered on the island in 1940, strongly suggesting they belong to a woman of Earhart\u2019s stature<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Artifacts found on Nikumaroro including a woman\u2019s shoe, a compact case, a freckle cream jar and a medicine vial \u2014 all dating to the 1930s<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Bevington Object, a photographic anomaly on the Nikumaroro reef captured three months after the plane\u2019s disappearance, which appears to represent one of the Electra\u2019s landing gears<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Taraia Object, first spotted in satellite imagery in 2020, but which appears to have been in the same location in the lagoon since 1938 based on contemporaneous photographic evidence<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Additional updates will be released prior to departure. To learn more about the expedition and its mission, visit <a href=\"http:\/\/archaeologychannel.org\/taraia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Archaeology Channel\u2019s Taraia Object page<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/amelia.prf.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">PRF\u2019s expedition page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About Purdue University and Purdue Research Foundation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Purdue University is a research institution ranked among the top 10 public universities in the United States. The Purdue Research Foundation (PRF) is a private nonprofit operating as a separate entity to advance the university\u2019s mission. Purdue is committed to affordability and accessibility with more than 106,000 students studying at Purdue across multiple campuses. PRF operates Purdue Innovates, including the Office of Technology Commercialization, Incubator and Ventures, as well as managing Purdue Research Park, Discovery Park District at Purdue, Purdue Technology Centers and the Purdue for Life Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About Archaeological Legacy Institute<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Archaeological Legacy Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Eugene, Oregon, and organized to share the human cultural heritage widely through the use of cutting-edge media technology. ALI\u2019s core project is The Archaeology Channel (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.archaeologychannel.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">http:\/\/www.archaeologychannel.org\/<\/a>), a free streaming-media website featuring video and audio programs on archaeology, indigenous peoples and cultural heritage. This combines with news site <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archaeologica.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Archaeologica.org<\/a>, the social media site <a href=\"http:\/\/archaeoseek.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ArchaeoSeek.com<\/a>, and subscription video-on-demand platform Heritage Broadcasting Service (<a href=\"http:\/\/heritagetac.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">heritagetac.org<\/a>) to form a unique constellation of online services and resources for those keen to learn about and enjoy cultural-heritage information, events, programming and discussions. Through <a href=\"http:\/\/archaeologychannel.org\/tours\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TAC Tours<\/a>, ALI also organizes in-person group visits to significant cultural heritage sites worldwide, which have included Stonehenge, Machu Picchu, Chich\u00e9n Itz\u00e1, Uxmal, Newgrange, Persepolis, Carnac, the Ness of Brodgar, the Malta prehistoric temples and many others.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"note\" class=\"post-content__attribution \">\n    <div class=\"columns\"> \n                    <div class=\"column\"> \n                <p class=\"post-content__source\">\n                    <strong>Media contact:<\/strong> Trevor Peters, <a href=\"mailto:peter237@purdue.edu\">peter237@purdue.edu<\/a>                <\/p>\n            <\/div>\n                            <div class=\"column is-narrow\">                 \n                <div class=\"post-content__editor-note\">\n                    <p class=\"post-content__editor-note--header\">Note to journalists:<\/p>\n                    <p>    \n                        Additional photos and video are available in the <a href=\"https:\/\/prf.photoshelter.com\/galleries\/C0000FeD22Vc9WUk\/Amelia-Uncharted-Media-Kit\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/prf.photoshelter.com\/galleries\/C0000FeD22Vc9WUk\/Amelia-Uncharted-Media-Kit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">media kit<\/a>.                    <\/p>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. \u2014 On Amelia Earhart\u2019s 129th birthday, Archaeological Legacy Institute (ALI), Purdue Research Foundation (PRF) and Purdue University announced Friday (July 24) that the Taraia Object Expedition will depart in October in search of Earhart\u2019s lost aircraft. The<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":22516,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"department":[],"source":[29],"purdue_today_topic":[],"coauthors":[10],"class_list":["post-22517","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","source-purdue-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22517","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22517"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22517\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22540,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22517\/revisions\/22540"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22517"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22517"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22517"},{"taxonomy":"department","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/department?post=22517"},{"taxonomy":"source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/source?post=22517"},{"taxonomy":"purdue_today_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/purdue_today_topic?post=22517"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=22517"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}