National Environmental Policy Act; Mars Surveyor Program

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

[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark R. Dahl, 202-358-1544; electronic

mail ([email protected]).

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

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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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