Tying up loose ends for the BIG DAY

Hello again
I hope everything is going well with you...

I am sorry for not getting you notes sooner but we are getting closer to the BIG DAY and we are busy preparing for our final shipments and closing out last minute paperwork.

The RAHFs passed their intermediate water servicing in late February and they will be filled with water for the last time at 10 days before Launch. We have found no bacteria problems in the water so we feel everything is good here. As I stated earlier, during the mission we plan on monitoring the water capacity in the RAHFs and we plan for refills during the flight. By the time we fly, the water will be better than what we get out of our faucets at home.

Right now as I write the Spacelab will be closed out tonight 3/5 in the orbiter. Once closed, we will not visit the spacelab until stowage ops at L-10 [10 days before launch] days. As some of you may know, the Crew finished the Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT) for the orbiter and the spacelab. We have been busy the past few days closing out or correcting the findings they had.

The plan is to roll out Columbia to the PAD on 3/16/98.

I am presently closing out paperwork on the Animal Enclosure Modules which fly in the shuttle middeck. Known as small payloads.

We are still performing final problem report close outs, otherwise known as Non-Conformance Reports (NCRs). Prior to any launch we want to make sure these reports are either closed or addressed so as we are not flying any unknown problems or unaddressed problems.

The Rodent cages are ready for shipment to KSC and subsequent flight. The Rodent waste trays are ready for shipment and we will install these at KSC. Final cage Operations will begin in early April at KSC.

Rodent load into the cages for flight is at L-40 hrs where actual cage load into the Spacelab is at L-35 hrs.

Again, let me say that we have a strong team here at Ames in support of this project. This is probably the most exciting project I have been involved with.

That's all for now, I have to finish off my paper work items.

This will be my last Journal entry. I leave for KSC on 4/5 and return on 4/17 assuming we have no problems. Upon my return I will be here at ARC supporting the flight from our control room ready to assist in any inflight malfunctions.

CB.