National Environmental Policy Act; Mars Global Surveyor Mission

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice 95-114]

National Environmental Policy Act; Mars Global Surveyor 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 (NEPA) of

1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), the Council on

Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations for Implementing the Procedural

Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and NASA policy and

procedures (14 CFR Part 1216 Subpart 1216.3), NASA has made a finding

of no significant impact (FONSI) with respect to the proposed Mars

Global Surveyor (MGS) mission, which would involve a flight to and

orbit about Mars. The baseline mission calls for the MGS spacecraft to

be launched aboard a Delta II 7925 from Cape Canaveral Air Station

(CCAS), Florida, in November 1996.

DATES: Comments on the FONSI must be provided in writing to NASA on or

before January 18, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to Ms. Mary Kaye Olsen,

NASA Headquarters, Code SLP, 300 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20546. The

Environmental Assessment (EA) prepared for the MGS mission which

supports this FONSI may be reviewed at the following locations:

(a) NASA Headquarters, Library, Room 1J20, 300 E Street, SW.,

Washington, DC 20546.

(b) Spaceport USA, Room 2001, John F. Kennedy Space Center,

Florida, 32899. Please call Lisa Fowler beforehand at 407-867-2468 so

that arrangements can be made.

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(c) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Visitors Lobby, Building 249, 4800

Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (818-354-5179).

The EA may also be examined at the following NASA locations by

contacting the pertinent Freedom of Information Act Office:

(d) NASA, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (415-604-

4190).

(e) NASA, Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA 93523 (805-

258-3448).

(f) NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (301-

286-0730).

(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 (216-433-2313).

(j) NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 35812 (205-

544-5252).

(k) NASA, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (601-688-2164).

A limited number of copies of the EA are available by contacting

Ms. Mary Kaye Olsen at the address or telephone number indicated

herein.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Kaye Olsen, 202-358-0304.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NASA has reviewed the EA prepared for the

MGS 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.

NASA is proposing to launch the MGS mission, which would deliver a

single polar-orbiting spacecraft to Mars in 1997. MGS would be inserted

into an elliptical capture orbit in September 1997 and, over the next 4

months, would use thruster firings and aerobraking techniques to reach

a nearly circular, low-altitude, polar-mapping orbit. The orbit would

allow the spacecraft to be illuminated by the sun in the same way

throughout the Martian year. Aerobraking, a technique which uses the

forces of atmospheric drag to slow the spacecraft for orbital

maneuvers, would provide a means of minimizing the amount of fuel

required to reach the final low Mars mapping orbit. The spacecraft

carries no radioactive material. The proposed action calls for using a

Delta II 7925 launch vehicle with a Payload Assist Module-Delta (PAM-D)

upper stage to inject the MGS spacecraft into an Earth-Mars trajectory

in November 1996.

The science objectives for the MGS mission are to fulfill most of

the critical science objectives of the failed Mars Observer mission. To

satisfy the mission's purpose, the MGS spacecraft would carry nearly a

full duplicate of the Mars Observer instrument payload, and would use

those instruments to acquire Mars surface data for a full Martian year

(approximately 2 Earth years). These objectives include detailed global

maps of surface topography, the distribution of minerals, the planet's

mass, size, and shape, the characterization of Mars' gravitational and

magnetic fields, and the monitoring of global weather. These data and

investigations could help scientists better understand the current

state of water on Mars, the evolution of the planet's formation and

atmosphere, and the factors that led to major changes in the Martian

climate. Other data acquired from this mission could provide insight

into the evolution of both Earth and the solar system. MGS could then

support possible future Mars missions, by providing relay capability

for surface science stations and landers.

Alternatives that were evaluated include (1) No-Action (i.e., no

Mars Global Surveyor mission); and (2) launch vehicles options,

including the Space Shuttle, Titan, and Atlas configurations, foreign

launch vehicles, as well as other Delta configurations. Failure to

undertake the MGS mission would disrupt the execution of NASA's Solar

System Exploration Program, as defined by the Agency's Solar System

Exploration Committee. Cancellation of the MGS mission would leave a

gap in the orderly exploration of Mars, and would retard NASA's

attainment of scientific data on the surface and atmosphere of Mars,

which is critical to future explorations of Mars. Of the launch

vehicles evaluated, the Delta II 7925/PAM-D most closely matches the

MGS mission requirements, has superior reliability, minimizes adverse

environmental impacts, and is also the lowest in cost.

Expected impacts to the human environment associated with the

mission arise almost entirely from the normal launch of the Delta II

7925. Air emissions from the exhaust produced by the solid propellant

graphite epoxy motors and liquid first stage primarily include carbon

monoxide, hydrochloric acid, aluminum oxide in soluble and insoluble

forms, carbon dioxide, and deluge water mixed with propellant by-

products. Air impacts will be short-term and not substantial. Short-

term water quality and noise impacts, as well as short-term effects on

wetlands, plants, and animals, would occur in the vicinity of the

launch complex. These short-term impacts are of a nature to be self-

correcting, and none of these effects would be substantial. There would

be no impact on threatened or endangered species or critical habitat,

cultural resources, or floodplains. Accident scenarios have also been

addressed.

The second stage would be ignited at an altitude of 129 kilometers

(80 miles), which is in the ionosphere. Although the second stage would

achieve orbit, its orbital decay time would fall below the limit NASA

has set for orbital debris consideration. After burning its propellant

to depletion, the second stage would remain in low Earth orbit until

its orbit eventually decayed. The MGS Project has followed the NASA

guidelines regarding orbital debris and minimizing the risk of human

casualty for uncontrolled reentry into the Earth's atmosphere. No other

impacts of environmental concern have been identified.

The level and scope of environmental impacts associated with the

launch of the Delta II 7925 vehicle are well within the envelope of

impacts that have been addressed in previous FONSI's concerning other

launch vehicles and spacecraft. No significant new circumstances or

information relevant to environmental concerns associated with the

launch vehicle have been identified which would affect the earlier

findings.

On the basis of the MGS EA, NASA has determined that the

environmental impacts associated with the mission would not

individually or cumulatively have a significant impact on the quality

of the human environment. NASA will take no final action prior to the

expiration of the 30-day comment period.

Dated: December 13, 1995.

Wesley T. Huntress, Jr.,

Associate Administrator for Space Science.

[FR Doc. 95-30759 Filed 12-18-95; 8:45 am]

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