1995-035A
In early 1995 STS-70 was scheduled to fly after the first Mir docking mission. Its main task was deployment of a TDRS comsat. When the STS-71 mission was delayed because the launch of the Russian Spektr module to Mir slipped, STS-70 was moved ahead in the queue.
STS-70 carried the first flight of an improved `Block I' Space Shuttle Main Engine. SSME 2036, in main engine no. 1 position, contained a new liquid oxidizer turbopump, a new two-duct powerhead, and a new heat exchanger. The revised design eliminated a large number of welds and was intended to improve safety margins.
A week before the scheduled launch, NASA was alarmed to discover that woodpeckers were pecking at the Shuttle's External Tank, leaving significant holes in its insulation which had to be patched. It was decided to roll back Discovery to the VAB for repairs and fly the mission after STS-71.
On-board experiments for this mission included the Commercial Protein Crystal Growth Facility for growing interferon, the BRIC-4 canister carrying tobacco hormworm for hormone and muscle development studies, BRIC-5 carrying daylily plant cells, and NIH experiments using rats. The Space Tissue Loss B experiment used Medaka fish eggs to study the effects of microgravity on the growth of embryos.
The middeck experiment complement also included a set of military experiments including the HERCULES geolocation camera.
The countdown on Jul 13 was trouble free until a halt was called at T-31s to reset a malfunctioning range safety destruct receiver on the ET. The count resumed after only 55s, leading to a launch at 1341:55 UTC. The Block I engine performed well and Discovery entered orbit eight minutes later. TDRS-G was deployed from the IUS tilt table later the same day, as Discovery passed over the Pacific.
After a week of minor experiments on-orbit, Discovery prepared to return to Florida. After a one day waveoff due to weather, OV-103 landed at KSC on Jul 22.
| STS-70 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 May 3 | 1305 | Rollover to VAB | |
| 1995 May 6 | Mate to ET/SRB | ||
| 1995 May 11 | 0637 | Rollout to LC39B | |
| 1995 Jun 8 | 0430 | Rollback to VAB3 | |
| 1995 Jun 15 | Rollout to LC39B | ||
| 1995 Jul 13 | 1341:55 | Launch | |
| 1343:58 | SRB sep | ||
| 1350:26 | MECO | 88.24 73 x 302 x 28.5 (OMS dV) | |
| 1350:45 | ET sep | 88.22 67 x 291 x 28.5 | |
| 1421:50 | OMS-2 circ 68m/s | 90.56 301 x 302 x 28.5 | |
| 1424:13 | OMS-2 cutoff | ||
| 1511:15 PLBD open | |||
| 1954:55 | TDRS/IUS-26 deploy | ||
| 1955:46 | RCS sep 7s | ||
| 1958 | tilt table lower | ||
| 2006:45 | Tilt table stowed | ||
| 2009:46 | OMS 3 L sep 34s | 90.85 299 x 333 x 28.5 | |
| 1995 Jul 14 | 1430 | 90.86 299 x 333 x 28.5 | |
| 1910:41 | OMS 4 R 32s Lower orbit | 90.55 286 x 315 x 28.5 | |
| 1995 Jul 20 | 0833 | RCS hot fire | |
| 1995 Jul 21 | 0818:35 | PLBD close | |
| 1236:58 | PLBD open | 90.52 286 x 313 x 28.5 | |
| 1995 Jul 22 | 0648:04 | PLBD closed | 90.52 285 x 314 x 28.5 |
| 1100:12 | OMS DO 176.6s 104m/s | ||
| 1103:09 | OMS DO cutoff | 86.99 -63 x 313 x 28.5 | |
| 1130:41 | Entry interface 122 km | ||
| 1202:02 | MGTD KSC RW33 | ||
| 1202:03 | Drag chute | ||
| 1202:09 | NGTD | ||
| 1202:35 | Drag chute sep | ||
| 1203:04 | Wheels stop | ||
| 1545 | Roll to OPF/1 | ||
