STS 70

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General

Launch id	95035
Launch date	13 Jul 1995 at 13:41:55 UT
Launch site	Cape Canaveral LC39B
Type	Discovery #21
Crew	Tom Henricks (commander) Kevin Kregel (pilot) Nancy Currie (mission specialist) Dr. Donald Thomas (mission specialist) May Ellen Weber (mission specialist)
Landing date	22 Jul 1995 at 12:02 UT
Landing site	Cape Canaveral
Payload	B: TDRS 7

STS-70 marked another significant milestone with the first flight of the new Block I Space Shuttle main engine. Main Engine #1 - engine 2036 - features improvements that increase the reliability and safety margins of the main engines. SSME's No. 2 and No. 3 are the current design.

The Block I engine features improvements such as a new liquid oxidizer turbopump produced through a casting process that eliminates all but six of the 300 welds that exist in the current pump. A new two-duct powerhead improves fluid flows within the engine to decrease pressure and loads. A new single-coil heat exchanger in the powerhead eliminates all seven weld joints inside the engine, reducing wear, maintenance and post-flight inspections.

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External resources

http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-70/mission-sts-70.html

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