[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 64 (Friday, April 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16586-16587]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-8797]
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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
[Notice (98-045)]
National Environmental Policy Act; Mars Surveyor Program
AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Tier I environmental impact
statement (EIS) and a Tier II EIS and conduct scoping for the Mars
Surveyor Program.
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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's policy and
procedures (14 CFR Part 1216 Subpart 1216.3), NASA intends to prepare a
Tier I EIS and a Tier II EIS for the Mars Surveyor Program. This
program has been authorized by Congress to launch missions to Mars
periodically as part of a long-term program of Mars exploration. The
purposes of the Mars Surveyor Program are to (1) conduct additional
scientific exploration of Mars, and (2) use the first Mars Sample
Return (MSR) mission to return Martian samples collected earlier by
either the Mars 2001 or Mars 2003 mission to Earth.
The Tier I EIS will serve as a programmatic EIS for the Mars
Surveyor Program and as a mission-specific EIS for the proposed Mars
2001 and Mars 2003 missions. It will address the environmental impacts
of the proposed Mars 2001 and Mars 2003 missions and give a preliminary
overview of the proposed first MSR mission which is planned for 2004.
The Tier II EIS will provide further details of the MSR mission,
including the potential environmental impacts of returning a sample of
Martian surface materials and atmosphere to Earth.
The Mars 2001 and 2003 missions are currently proposed to launch
from Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS), Florida. The Mars 2001 orbiter
is scheduled for launch in February 2001. The lander and rover are
scheduled for launch in April 2001. The Mars 2003 orbiter, lander, and
rover are proposed for launch in May 2003. The first proposed MSR
mission, including orbiter, lander and Earth reentry capsule, is
scheduled for a single launch in November 2004. Environmental impacts
to be considered are those impacts associated with a normal launch from
CCAS, and the potential radiological and non-radiological risks of
launch accidents. The Mars 2001 and 2003 missions may require the use
of up to eight Radioisotope Heater Units (RHU's) for each mission, and
minor quantities of Curium-242, Curium-244, and Cobalt-57 for
scientific instrumentation. The MSR mission may require the use of up
to thirty RHU's.
DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit comments or
environmental concerns on or before May 18, 1998 to assure full
consideration during the scoping process.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Mr. Mark R. Dahl, NASA
Headquarters, Code SD, Washington, DC 20546-0001. While hard copy
comments are preferred, comments by electronic mail may be sent to
marsscop@hq.nasa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark R. Dahl, 202-358-1544; electronic
mail (marsscop@hq.nasa.gov).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The goal of the Mars Surveyor Program is to
understand Mars in terms of life, climate and resources. The specific
goals of the 2001, 2003, and MSR missions are to: Do a detailed
exploration and characterization of selected areas of the Martian
surface; characterize, collect, cache (store) and return samples of the
Martian surface materials and atmosphere; map the global geochemical
and mineralogical composition of Mars; acquire data on the radiation
environment of Mars; demonstrate the viability of in-situ propellant
production; and demonstrate aerocapture and precision landing
capabilities.
In accordance with the Mars Robotic Exploration Plan, one or two
spacecraft to Mars are proposed to be launched during the time period
around each orbital opportunity (approximately every twenty-six
months). The missions could include the participation of scientists
from the broad research community. The science community and industry
would supply science instruments. These missions would be conducted in
partnership with industry, and are to be executed within a specific
funding profile. The Mars Surveyor Program would include the
implementation of an education and outreach program. The 2001 and 2003
proposed mission plans, as defined at this time, include global
observations from orbit and, from the surface, collections, storage and
analysis of Martian soil and rock samples. The proposed MSR mission
plan, as presently defined, includes returning to Earth for more
extensive study that cache of samples from either the 2001 or 2003
caches, which is determined to be of most scientific interest. In order
to ensure the maximum scientific payoff for the missions, the 2001 and
2003 landers would collect data for 100 days, and the rovers each would
collect science data for about one Earth year. In order for the rovers
and surface instruments to survive at the low Mars temperatures, RHU's
are proposed for use on the rover and on the Mars In-situ Propellant
Production instrument in 2001 and on the rover and possibly on
instruments not yet selected on the 2003 lander. The landed elements of
each of these missions may use up to eight RHU's. RHU's are also likely
to be required for the larger MSR spacecraft, but the number and
location of any RHU's are still to be determined. However, present
planning suggests that the MSR mission may need to use up to thirty
RHU's. Each RHU would contain approximately 2.7 grams (about 0.1 ounce)
of plutonium dioxide.
NASA plans to address the environmental impacts of the Mars
Surveyor Program through a two-tiered EIS process. The Tier I EIS will
discuss the overall purpose and need for the Mars Surveyor Program.
This EIS also will focus on the specific purpose and need for and the
environmental impacts associated with the proposed Mars 2001 and 2003
missions, as well as alternatives to the proposals. Because of
unavailable information, it is likely that the MSR mission will only be
addressed in terms of a broad conceptual framework in the Tier I EIS.
The Mars 2001 and 2003 missions would serve purposes and needs
independent of whether or not the MSR is ultimately approved. The
Record of Decision (ROD) issued pursuant to the Tier I EIS and other
relevant information will
[[Page 16587]]
focus on the determination of whether or not to proceed with the
proposed Mars 2001 and 2003 missions.
A decision on the MSR mission will be deferred until after the
completion of the NEPA process associated with the Tier II EIS. NASA
plans to focus the Tier II EIS on the purpose and need for the proposed
MSR mission, other alternatives (both for launch and sample return to
Earth), and the potential environmental impacts associated with the
mission, including those related to the return of a Martian soil sample
to Earth. Another notice of intent to prepare an EIS and conduct
scoping will be issued at the initiation of the NEPA process for the
Tier II EIS.
Alternatives to be considered in the Tier I EIS include but are not
limited to:
--Alternative launch vehicles
--Alternative mission configurations for the Mars 2001 and 2003
missions
--Alternative launch sites
--Alternative means to maintain a spacecraft, lander, and rover
environment which will permit extended operation of equipment and
instruments
--Other means to meet the purpose and need
--The ``no action'' alternative which defines the baseline conditions
that would prevail in the absence of the Mars Surveyor Program
The Tier I EIS will consider the potential environmental impacts
associated with the proposed Mars 2001 and 2003 missions, and to the
extent that information is available, the proposed MSR mission.
Preliminary thinking on potential environmental impacts indicates that
the Tier I EIS should focus on those associated with both the normal
launches of the spacecraft and accident situations.
Written public input and comments on environmental impacts and
concerns associated with the Mars Surveyor Program are hereby
solicited.
Jeffrey E. Sutton,
Acting Associate Administrator for Management Systems and Facilities.
[FR Doc. 98-8797 Filed 4-2-98; 8:45 am]
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