[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 23, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27332-27333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12553]
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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
[Notice 95-031]
National Environmental Policy Act; International Space Station
Program
AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Tier 2 environmental impact
statement (EIS) and conduct scoping for the assembly and operation of
the proposed International Space Station (ISS) Program.
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SUMMARY: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, in
accordance with 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), intends to prepare a Tier 2 EIS for the ISS
Program. The proposed action by NASA is to continue to provide U.S.
participation in the assembly and operation of the ISS. The alternative
is cancellation of the ISS Program, specifically, the ``No Action''
alternative. The Tier 2 EIS will focus on those areas of the ISS
Program which have changed substantially since the Tier 1 EIS was
prepared. This includes modifications to the space station itself, its
assembly and operation, and an assessment of the probability and
consequences of reentry of the station into Earth's atmosphere.
DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit written comments to
NASA on or before July 7, 1995, to ensure full consideration during the
scoping process.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be in writing and addressed to Mr. David
Ruszczyk, NASA Johnson Space Flight Center, Code OF, Houston, Texas
77058-3696.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. David Ruszczyk, 713-244-7756.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NASA issued the Final Tier 1 Environmental
Impact Statement for Space Station Freedom, March 1991 (hereinafter
referred to as the ``Tier 1 EIS''). The Tier 1 EIS was prepared as part
of the decision process to determine whether to proceed with the
development, assembly, and operation of a human occupied space station
in cooperation with the Canadian Space Agency, the European Space
Agency, and Japan's National Space Development Agency. Several
programmatic and design configuration alternatives were considered,
along with the alternative to take no action. The program decision,
made on the basis of the Tier 1 EIS and other relevant documents, was
to proceed with full scale design and development of the concept known
as Space Station Freedom.
At the time the Tier EIS was prepared, detailed design information
was not available. As a consequence, some issues relating to the
potential environmental effects of Space Station Freedom were deferred
to the Tier 2 EIS. These issues included the impacts of any significant
design modifications that might be incorporated as the design matured;
and a quantitative analysis of the probability and consequences of
accidental or uncontrolled reentry into the Earth's atmosphere during
assembly and operation. Other impacts that were reserved include
venting of nontoxic gases during station operation, and change to a
hydrazine propulsion system.
On March 9, 1993, the President directed NASA to undertake a major
redesign of the space station program in such a manner that major
reductions in the projected costs of Space Station Freedom could be
realized. An Advisory Committee on the Redesign of the Space Station
was chartered to provide advice with respect to the redesign options
for the U.S. space station program. The results of the redesign studies
were presented in the Space Station Redesign Team Final Report to the
Advisory Committee on the Redesign of the Space Station, dated June
1993. The result was the currently proposed ISS, which
[[Page 27333]] includes design modifications and agreements to include
Russia as a partner, and incorporates Russian hardware and capabilities
into the program.
The proposed action considered in this Tier 2 EIS is to continue
the implementation of the U.S. contribution to the overall effort to
assemble and operate the ISS. The remaining alternative involves the
``No Action'' alternative (i.e., cancellation of U.S. participation in
the ISS). Significant design changes that have occurred since the Tier
1 EIS include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following: The
number of research laboratories on the space station has been increased
from three to six; the number of logistics modules has been increased
from one to two; the pressurized volume has been almost doubled; the
crew size has been increased from four to six; and the orbital
inclination has been changed from 28.5 degrees to 51.6 degrees,
permitting space station access by Russian launch vehicles and
additional mission control capabilities from Russia's mission control
center. The ISS contemplates 15 Russian launches, increasing the total
number of launches through completion of assembly from 32 to 44, and
reducing the number of U.S. launches from 29 to 27, one European
launch, and one launch yet to be determined. Accordingly, resupply
flights to the completed ISS will now include Russian as well as U.S.
flights; whereas Space Station Freedom was to be resupplied exclusively
by U.S. Space Shuttle flights. The planned U.S. launches will not
include any expendable launch vehicles; only the Space Shuttle will be
used. However, the U.S. may use expendable launch vehicles in a
contingency or backup role.
The design of the ISS has progressed to the point where it is now
possible to conduct a quantitative analysis of the probability and
consequences of accidental or uncontrolled reentry into the Earth's
atmosphere. The Tier 2 EIS will assess the probabilities and potential
impacts associated with accidental or uncontrolled reentry. The Tier 2
EIS also will address decommissioning alternatives, including the plan
presented in the Tier 1 EIS.
Other issues to be addressed in the Tier 2 EIS include, but will
not necessarily be limited to, the following: the cumulative effects of
the U.S. launches associated with the assembly and operation of the
ISS; the change to a Unsymmetrical Dimethylhydrazine/Nitrogen Tetroxide
propulsion system; and the venting and outgassing of nontoxic gases
from the ISS. The Tier 2 EIS will address environmental effects on the
United States and the integrated ISS impacts on the global commons.
Written public input and comments on the range of alternatives
being considered and the potential environmental issues related to the
assembly and the operation of the International Space Station are
hereby solicited.
Dated: May 12, 1995.
Benita A. Cooper,
Associate Administrator for Management Systems and Facilities.
[FR Doc. 95-12553 Filed 5-22-95; 8:45 am]
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