A soccer ball that was aboard the Challenger shuttle when it exploded in 1986 — and surprisingly found intact amid the wreckage — has finally made its way back into space.

The miracle ball was launched into orbit last week, just days after the anniversary of the tragedy. It belonged to NASA astronaut Ellison Onizuka and had been signed by the Clear Lake High School boys and girls soccer teams, of which his daughter was a member.

“This ball was on Challenger that fateful day,” astronaut Shane Kimbrough tweeted, along with a picture of the black-and-white soccer ball floating outside the International Space Station.

“Flown by Ellison Onizuka for his daughter, a soccer player,” he said.

This ball was on Challenger that fateful day. Flown by Ellison Onizuka for his daughter, a soccer player @Clear_LakeHS. #NASARemembers pic.twitter.com/grShwq372X

— Shane Kimbrough (@astro_kimbrough) February 3, 2017

The Space Shuttle Challenger infamously broke apart and exploded into pieces on the morning of Jan. 28, 1986 — just 73 seconds after launch.

Onizuka had been making his second flight as a mission specialist when one of the booster engines failed, following an O-ring failure that was compromised by cold weather.

He lost his life that day, along with commander Dick Scobee, pilot Michael Smith, mission specialists Ron McNair and Judy Resnik, payload specialist Gregory Jarvis and Teacher-in-Space Christa McAuliffe.

Kimbrough, who is commander of the ISS’s Expedition 50 crew, went on to reference Clear Lake High School in his tweet, adding the hashtag #NASARemembers.

Like Onizuka, his son is currently a junior at the school and also plays sports.

“The soccer ball in many ways has continued the mission my father embarked upon so many years ago,” Onizuka’s daughter, Janelle Onizuka-Gillian, explained in a statement released by CLHS.

“It has continued to travel and explore space, while inspiring so many through its history,” she said.

After Challenger broke apart, Onizuka’s soccer ball was recovered among the wreckage that fell into the ocean. Several other items that belonged to him were also found floating in the water, including a football and an American flag.

The soccer ball was eventually brought to CLHS, where it remained until being launched into orbit.

“Thank you Shane Kimbrough for helping a piece of CLHS Falcon history complete its mission in space!” the school tweeted Friday.

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