NASA News   
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration

John F. Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899
AC 321 867-2468

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KSC Contacts: 							
For Release: Feb. 22, 2001
Joel Wells/ Bruce Buckingham		 		
321-867-2468								 

KSC RELEASE NO.  22 - 01

Note to Editors:


After spending the last 17 months in California, Space Shuttle Columbia is
scheduled to return to Kennedy Space Center Sunday, Feb. 25, mounted on
the back of NASA's modified 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA).
Columbia's current flight plan, weather permitting, includes a flyover of
Florida's capital city Sunday morning.   

Final preparations for Columbia's departure and the flight plan are
contingent upon weather conditions in California and its cross-country
route to Florida. Stringent flight rules may cause changes to the flight
path or cancellation of planned flyovers. Flight rules state that the
orbiter/SCA cannot fly at night, through precipitation, thick clouds or
high turbulence. There are also wind and temperature restrictions.  

Columbia is scheduled to roll out of the Boeing Orbiter Assembly Facility
in Palmdale, Calif., Feb. 23 and be mated to NASA's SCA No. 905. Then
Columbia, atop the SCA, will depart California Saturday morning, Feb. 24.
Preliminary plans call for an overnight stay at Ellington Field in
Houston, Texas, before returning to KSC the morning of Feb. 25.  An on-
time departure from Houston may allow a flyover of Tallahassee's downtown
Capitol area at about 10:30 a.m.  Arrival at KSC is targeted for about
12:30 p.m. Feb. 25.

While in California, Columbia underwent extensive maintenance, inspections
and enhancements. More than 100 upgrades make Columbia safer and more
reliable than ever before. A new "glass cockpit" was installed, replacing
mechanical instruments with flat computer screens. Other improvements
include an orbiter weight reduction of more than 1,000 pounds; increased
protection from space debris; improved wiring protection; enhanced heat
protection for wing leading edges; and preliminary docking system wiring
work that could allow Columbia to make future International Space Station
flights if required.

Columbia has completed 26 flights into space and is nearing the 20th
anniversary of its maiden voyage as America's first Space Shuttle. STS-1
was launched April 12, 1981.  The next flight of Columbia is planned for
later this fall.


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