National Environmental Policy Act; Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous Mission

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[NOTICE 96-001]

National Environmental Policy Act; Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous

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 Near

Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) mission, which would involve a flight

to and orbit about the near Earth asteroid (433) Eros. The baseline

mission calls for the NEAR spacecraft to be launched aboard a Delta II

7925 from Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS), Florida, in February 1996.

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

before February 23, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to Ms. Elizabeth Beyer,

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

Environmental Assessment (EA) prepared for the NEAR 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.

(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. Elizabeth Beyer at the address or telephone number indicated

herein.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Elizabeth Beyer, 202-358-0314.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NASA has reviewed the EA prepared for the

NEAR 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 NEAR mission, which would deliver a

single orbiting spacecraft to Eros in 1999. Following launch and

injection into a heliocentric transfer orbit in February 1996, there

would be an Earth swingby in January 1998 which will change the

heliocentric orbital inclination by about 10 degrees to intercept the

orbit of Eros. The initial flyby of Eros would be at a closest approach

distance of 500 kilometers (km) (310 miles (mi.)) and would allow an

initial reconnaissance of Eros by several instruments and an initial

determination of mass and rotational state. Orbital insertion about

Eros would occur a few days later in a circular 1000 km (621 mi.)

orbit, followed a few weeks later by insertion into a circular 200 km

(124 mi.) orbit face-on to the direction of Earth. The orbit would then

be lowered in stages, as the asteroid shape and gravity models are

refined, until the nominal rendezvous orbit radius of 35 km (22 mi.) is

attained. The spacecraft carries no radioactive material, except for a

minor calibration source which consists of 30 microcuries of Fe\55\

(iron-55). 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 NEAR spacecraft into its heliocentric transfer orbit.

The science objective for the NEAR mission is to investigate the

properties of a single asteroid, the rendezvous target, 433 Eros. Near

earth asteroids are of fundamental scientific importance they may

preserve clues to early solar system processes and to conditions

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during the formation and early evolution of the planets. Measurements

from five instruments would provide the data which should accomplish

the science objectives. These objectives include detailed studies of

surface processes such as the formation of soil from rocks and surface

characteristics of these very low gravity bodies. The study of Eros is

expected to provide data to characterize asteroid physical and

geological properties and indicate elemental and mineralogical

composition. Data collected by NEAR could also provide important

information on the search for intrinsic magnetization of the asteroid.

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

NEAR 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 NEAR

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 NEAR mission would delay or eliminate the gathering

of potentially important data needed to study the origin and evolution

of our solar system. Of the launch vehicles evaluated, the Delta II

7925/PAM-D most closely matches the NEAR 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 122 km (76

mi.), 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 NEAR 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 has 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 NEAR 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: January 17, 1996.

Wesley T. Huntress, Jr.,

Associate Administrator for Space Science.

[FR Doc. 96-917 Filed 1-23-96; 8:45 am]

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