Mission Update
Pre-launch operations for Shuttle Columbia remain on schedule for the planned liftoff at 6:48 a.m. EST on Thursday, Feb. 28. At the launch pad, the complement of HST flight hardware was installed into Columbia's payload bay Feb. 18 and electrical connections with the orbiter established. An end-to-end test is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 22 between the flight hardware in Columbia's payload bay at KSC, the Space Telescope Operations Con-trol Center at Goddard SFC, and Mission Control in Houston, to verify the ability of controllers on the ground to monitor the status of the flight hardware in the payload bay while Columbia is on-orbit. Payload closeouts are scheduled to begin next weekend. The STS-109 flight crew will arrive at KSC early Monday, Feb. 25, and the final countdown will begin 10 a.m. Monday.

KSC Plans All-American Picnic
This year's All-American Picnic is scheduled March 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at KARS 1 with the traditional atmosphere. Chief organizers this year are Ray Lugo, executive director of Cape Canaveral Spaceport Management Office; Shannon Bartell, director Safety Health and Independent Assessment; and Mike Butchko, president of SGS. A few new twists have been added. Volunteers will be needed to support this activity, so contact the SGS PA Office, (321) 853-7061, or Peggy Parrish, (321) 476-4000, to volunteer. Tickets will be available March 1 at all NASA Exchange stores: $5/adult and $3.50/ child.

KSC Environmental Checklist Revised
The KSC Environmental Checklist, KSC Form 21-608, has been revised, the result of collaboration between NASA and the Air Force. It is a joint document to be used by both agencies to accomplish initial environmental reviews of proposed projects and activities and to speed processing and ensure uniform reviews regardless of a project's location. A KSC Checklist should be completed and processed for all new activities and projects as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 14 CFR Part 1216.306(D)(7) and (8). The completed checklist should be forwarded to TA-C3 for review and processing. A Re-cord of Evaluation Consideration (REC) will be prepared and returned to the signatory that details the environmental requirements that apply to the proposed activity or project. Detailed instructions and other related information can be found on the Environmental Program Offices' web site along with the downloadable form at http://environmental/Nepa/checklist.htm.

Did You Know?
The NASA Environmental Management & Energy Conference is being held March 12-14 at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel in Norfolk, Va. The purpose of the conference is to inform environmental experts, energy experts, facility specialists, real property specialists, program managers, project managers, attorneys, auditors, contractors, and others about future trends, and to discuss current significant issues facing NASA in the areas of environmental and energy. The NASA Recycling and Affirmative Procurement Team at KSC is hosting a four-hour block of presentations, 8-12 p.m., March 13. Conference Coordinators are Laura Hamlin (lham-lin@hq.nasa.gov) and Sam Higuci (shiguchi@hq.nasa.gov) from Headquarters, and Greg Sullivan (g.f.Sullivan@larc.nasa.gov) from Langley.