National Environmental Policy Act; Mars Surveyor 1998 Missions

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice (98-114)]

National Environmental Policy Act; Mars Surveyor 1998 Missions

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Finding of no significant impact (FONSI).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 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 FONSI

with respect to the proposed Mars Surveyor 1998 missions, which would

involve two flights to Mars. The baseline plan calls for each of the

two spacecraft to be launched aboard a separate Delta II 7425 from Cape

Canaveral Air Station (CCAS), Florida, between December 1998 and

January 1999.

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

before October 5, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments in response to this FONSI should be addressed to

Dr. William L. Piotrowski, NASA Headquarters, Code SD, 300 E Street SW,

Washington, DC 20546. The Environmental Assessment (EA) prepared for

the Mars Surveyor 1998 missions which supports this FONSI may be

reviewed at the following locations:

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

Washington, DC 20546 (202-358-0167).

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

Florida 32899. Please call Lisa Fowler beforehand at 407-867-2497 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 (650-604-

4191).

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

258-2663).

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

286-0730).

(g) NASA, Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058 (281-483-8612).

(h) NASA, Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23665 (757-864-

2497).

(i) NASA, Lewis Research Center, 21000 Brookpark Road, Cleveland,

OH 44135 (216-433-2755).

(j) NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 35812 (256-

544-5549).

(k) NASA, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (228-688-2164).

A limited number of copies of the EA are available, on a first

request basis, by contacting Dr. William L. Piotrowski, at the address

or telephone number indicated herein.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. William L. Piotrowski, 202-358-

0316.

[[Page 47044]]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NASA has reviewed the EA prepared for the

Mars Surveyor 1998 missions and has determined that it represents an

accurate and adequate analysis of the scope and level of associated

environmental impacts. The EA is hereby incorporated by reference in

this FONSI.

NASA is proposing to launch the Mars Surveyor 1998 missions, which

would deliver a lander and an orbiter spacecraft to Mars. Current plans

call for using two Delta II 7425 launch vehicles with a Star 48 upper

stage to launch the two spacecraft onto Mars transfer trajectories in

December 1998 and January 1999 respectively. The proposed mission

design calls for the orbiter spacecraft to be placed into orbit at Mars

in September 1999, and the lander spacecraft to be placed on Mars'

surface in December 1999. During its mission, the orbiter would map the

surface and atmosphere of Mars and serve as a communications relay for

the lander mission. The lander would photograph and sample the surface

of Mars near the south pole. Neither spacecraft nor the lander would

carry radioactive material.

The primary scientific objectives of these missions are to search

for evidence of past or present life, understand the climate and

volatile history of Mars, and assess the nature and inventory of

resources on Mars. These objectives are linked by the influence of

water. The missions would map past and present potential water sources

and the exchange between subsurface, surface and atmospheric media.

While environmental impacts would be avoided by cancellation of the

proposed mission, the loss of the scientific knowledge and database

from carrying out the missions could be significant.

Of the reasonable launch vehicle alternatives, the Delta II 7425/

Star 48 most closely matches the Mars Surveyor 1998 mission

requirements, while minimizing adverse environmental impacts within the

cost constraints of these missions.

Expected impacts to the human environment associated with the

missions arise entirely from the normal launch of the Delta II 7425.

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 would 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 and indicate no potential for substantial impacts to the

human environment.

The launch vehicles' second stage would be ignited at an altitude

of 118 kilometers (74 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 (LEO) until its orbit eventually decays. The second

stage is designed to burn up as it reenters Earth's atmosphere. The

Mars Surveyor 1998 Project has followed the NASA guidelines regarding

orbital debris and minimizing the risk 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 7425 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 has been identified which would affect the earlier

findings.

On the basis of the Mars Surveyor 1998 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.

Wesley T. Huntress, Jr.,

Associate Administrator for Space Science.

[FR Doc. 98-23824 Filed 9-2-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7510-01-U