94-26270. National Environmental Policy Act; Mars Pathfinder Mission  

  • [Federal Register Volume 59, Number 204 (Monday, October 24, 1994)]
    [Unknown Section]
    [Page 0]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 94-26270]
    
    
    [[Page Unknown]]
    
    [Federal Register: October 24, 1994]
    
    
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    NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
    
    [Notice 94-081]
    
     
    
    National Environmental Policy Act; Mars Pathfinder Mission
    
    AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
    
    ACTION: Finding of No Significant Impact.
    
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    SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
    (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on 
    Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural 
    Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and NASA policy and 
    regulations (14 CFR Part 1216 Subpart 1216.3), NASA has made a finding 
    of no significant impact (FONSI) with respect to the proposed Mars 
    Pathfinder mission, which would involve a flight to and landing on 
    Mars. The baseline mission calls for the Mars Pathfinder spacecraft to 
    be launched aboard a Delta II 7925 from Cape Canaveral Air Station 
    (CCAS), Florida, in December 1996.
    
    DATES: Comments on the FONSI must be provided in writing to NASA on or 
    before November 23, 1994.
    
    ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Mark P. Saunders, NASA 
    Headquarters, Code SL, 300 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20546. The 
    environmental assessment (EA) prepared for the Mars Pathfinder mission 
    which supports this FONSI may be reviewed at:
        (a) NASA Headquarters, Library, Room 1J20, 300 E Street SW, 
    Washington, DC 20546.
        (b) Spaceport U.S.A., Room 2001, John F. Kennedy Space Center, FL 
    32899.
        In addition, the EA may be examined at the following NASA locations 
    by contacting the pertinent Freedom of Information Act Office:
        (c) NASA, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (415-604-
    4191).
        (d) NASA, Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA 93523 (805-
    258-3047).
        (e) NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (301-
    286-0730).
        (f) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA Resident Office, 4800 Oak Grove 
    Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (818-354-5179).
        (g) NASA, Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058 (713-483-8612).
        (h) NASA, Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23665 (804-864-
    6125).
        (i) NASA, Lewis Research Center, 21000 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, 
    OH 44135 (216-433-2902).
        (j) NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812 (205-544-4523).
        (k) NASA, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (601-688-2164).
        A limited number of copies of the EA are available by contacting 
    Mark P. Saunders, at the address or telephone number indicated herein.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark P. Saunders, 202-358-0299.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NASA has reviewed the EA prepared for the 
    Mars Pathfinder mission and has determined that it represents an 
    accurate and adequate analysis of the scope and level of associated 
    environmental impacts. The EA is incorporated by reference in this 
    FONSI.
        The planned Mars Pathfinder mission would deliver a very small 
    rover vehicle (hereinafter ``Rover'') inside a landing craft 
    (hereinafter ``Lander'') to the surface of Mars' northern hemisphere in 
    July 1997 to demonstrate enabling systems and technologies for 
    delivering small science payloads to that planet. The proposed action 
    calls for using a Delta II 7925 launch vehicle to inject the Mars 
    Pathfinder spacecraft into a direct Earth-Mars trajectory in December 
    1966. The Lander would enter the martian atmosphere and descend to the 
    surface using an aeroshell, parachute, and solid fuel rockets to slow 
    the descent. An airbag system would soften the final landing shock. The 
    Rover would then be deployed to the surface from the Lander. The Lander 
    would serve as a telemetry relay for the Rover to receive commands from 
    and return data to Earth. The Rover design would include three 
    Lightweight Radioisotope Heater Units (LWRHU's) as an additional heat 
    source to keep sensitive electronic components warm enough to operate. 
    Each LWRHU would contain 2.7 grams (about 0.1 ounce) of plutonium-238 
    dioxide. The Rover would carry an alpha/proton/x-ray spectrometer 
    (APXS) which uses a radioactive alpha particle source of curium-244 
    (approximately 2.78 gigabequerels or 75 millicuries). The primary 
    Lander mission would last 30 days, and the primary Rover mission 7 
    days.
        Scientific objectives of the Mars Pathfinder mission include 
    imaging of the martian surface, atmospheric structure and meteorology 
    data collection, and investigation of the martian surface composition 
    at multiple sites in the vicinity of the Lander. The mission also will 
    include demonstrations of enabling technologies and technical 
    approaches for possible future Mars missions. These demonstrations will 
    include a simplified cruise approach to transfer the Lander from Earth 
    to Mars with a direct atmospheric entry from transfer orbit, extended 
    (minimum 30 days) surface operations using only solar and battery power 
    to operate all Lander systems, and direct-link radio communication 
    between the Lander and Earth. Traversing martian terrain, the Rover 
    would conduct microrover technology experiments and provide data on 
    capabilities, such as wheel/soil interactions and hazard detection. the 
    Rover also would employ its imaging equipment to allow assessment of 
    the Lander's condition and gather scientific data on the rocks and 
    soil.
        Alternatives that were evaluated include: (1) No-action (i.e., no 
    Mars Pathfinder mission); (2) launch vehicle options, including the 
    Space Shuttle, Titan and Atlas configurations, foreign launch vehicles, 
    and other Delta configurations; and (3) alternate methods of providing 
    supplemental heat to or retaining heat in the Rover electronics 
    enclosure. Failure to undertake the Mars Pathfinder mission would 
    result in a lost opportunity to gain further scientific knowledge of 
    Mars and would prevent demonstration of technologies for efficient 
    delivery of scientific payloads to Mars. Of the launch vehicles 
    evaluated, the Delta II 7925 most closely matches the mission's needs, 
    is relatively low-cost, has superior reliability, and minimizes adverse 
    environmental impacts. Because of the small volume available for 
    insulation on the Rover, alternate heating methods (i.e., no LWRHU's) 
    for the Rover electronics can not provide a suitable thermal 
    environment for operation of the electronics while satisfying mission 
    objectives.
        Expected impacts to the human environment associated with the 
    mission arise almost entirely from the launch of the Delta II 7925. Air 
    emissions from the ground-level exhaust consist primarily of carbon 
    monoxide, hydrochloric acid, aluminum oxide in soluble and insoluble 
    forms, carbon dioxide, and water. Air impacts will be short-term and 
    not substantial. Short-term water quality and noise impacts, as well as 
    short-term effects on wetlands and plants and animals, will occur in 
    the vicinity of the launch complex. None of these effects will be 
    substantial. There will be no impact on threatened or endangered 
    species or critical habitat, cultural resources, or floodplains. There 
    were no accident scenarios and associated environments identified for 
    the Delta II 7925 launch system that would result in the release of 
    plutonium dioxide from the Rover LWRHU's. While accident environments 
    could cause release of the curium used in the APXS, the amount of 
    curium is very small, and the associated incremental health risk is 
    negligible.
        On the basis of the Mars Pathfinder EA and underlying reference 
    documents, NASA has determined that the environmental impacts 
    associated with this proposed mission will not individually or 
    cumulatively have a significant effect on the quality of the human 
    environment. NASA will take no final action prior to the expiration of 
    the 30-day comment period.
    Wesley T. Huntress, Jr.,
    Associate Administrator for Space Science.
    [FR Doc. 94-26270 Filed 10-21-94; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 7510-01-M
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
10/24/1994
Department:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Entry Type:
Uncategorized Document
Action:
Finding of No Significant Impact.
Document Number:
94-26270
Dates:
Comments on the FONSI must be provided in writing to NASA on or before November 23, 1994.
Pages:
0-0 (1 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Federal Register: October 24, 1994, Notice 94-081