[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 204 (Monday, October 24, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-26270]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: October 24, 1994]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice 94-081]

 

National Environmental Policy Act; Mars Pathfinder Mission

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Finding of No Significant Impact.

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

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 policy and 
regulations (14 CFR Part 1216 Subpart 1216.3), NASA has made a finding 
of no significant impact (FONSI) with respect to the proposed Mars 
Pathfinder mission, which would involve a flight to and landing on 
Mars. The baseline mission calls for the Mars Pathfinder spacecraft to 
be launched aboard a Delta II 7925 from Cape Canaveral Air Station 
(CCAS), Florida, in December 1996.

DATES: Comments on the FONSI must be provided in writing to NASA on or 
before November 23, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Mark P. Saunders, NASA 
Headquarters, Code SL, 300 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20546. The 
environmental assessment (EA) prepared for the Mars Pathfinder mission 
which supports this FONSI may be reviewed at:
    (a) NASA Headquarters, Library, Room 1J20, 300 E Street SW, 
Washington, DC 20546.
    (b) Spaceport U.S.A., Room 2001, John F. Kennedy Space Center, FL 
32899.
    In addition, the EA may be examined at the following NASA locations 
by contacting the pertinent Freedom of Information Act Office:
    (c) NASA, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (415-604-
4191).
    (d) NASA, Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA 93523 (805-
258-3047).
    (e) NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (301-
286-0730).
    (f) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA Resident Office, 4800 Oak Grove 
Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (818-354-5179).
    (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 (216-433-2902).
    (j) NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812 (205-544-4523).
    (k) NASA, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (601-688-2164).
    A limited number of copies of the EA are available by contacting 
Mark P. Saunders, at the address or telephone number indicated herein.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark P. Saunders, 202-358-0299.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NASA has reviewed the EA prepared for the 
Mars Pathfinder 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.
    The planned Mars Pathfinder mission would deliver a very small 
rover vehicle (hereinafter ``Rover'') inside a landing craft 
(hereinafter ``Lander'') to the surface of Mars' northern hemisphere in 
July 1997 to demonstrate enabling systems and technologies for 
delivering small science payloads to that planet. The proposed action 
calls for using a Delta II 7925 launch vehicle to inject the Mars 
Pathfinder spacecraft into a direct Earth-Mars trajectory in December 
1966. The Lander would enter the martian atmosphere and descend to the 
surface using an aeroshell, parachute, and solid fuel rockets to slow 
the descent. An airbag system would soften the final landing shock. The 
Rover would then be deployed to the surface from the Lander. The Lander 
would serve as a telemetry relay for the Rover to receive commands from 
and return data to Earth. The Rover design would include three 
Lightweight Radioisotope Heater Units (LWRHU's) as an additional heat 
source to keep sensitive electronic components warm enough to operate. 
Each LWRHU would contain 2.7 grams (about 0.1 ounce) of plutonium-238 
dioxide. The Rover would carry an alpha/proton/x-ray spectrometer 
(APXS) which uses a radioactive alpha particle source of curium-244 
(approximately 2.78 gigabequerels or 75 millicuries). The primary 
Lander mission would last 30 days, and the primary Rover mission 7 
days.
    Scientific objectives of the Mars Pathfinder mission include 
imaging of the martian surface, atmospheric structure and meteorology 
data collection, and investigation of the martian surface composition 
at multiple sites in the vicinity of the Lander. The mission also will 
include demonstrations of enabling technologies and technical 
approaches for possible future Mars missions. These demonstrations will 
include a simplified cruise approach to transfer the Lander from Earth 
to Mars with a direct atmospheric entry from transfer orbit, extended 
(minimum 30 days) surface operations using only solar and battery power 
to operate all Lander systems, and direct-link radio communication 
between the Lander and Earth. Traversing martian terrain, the Rover 
would conduct microrover technology experiments and provide data on 
capabilities, such as wheel/soil interactions and hazard detection. the 
Rover also would employ its imaging equipment to allow assessment of 
the Lander's condition and gather scientific data on the rocks and 
soil.
    Alternatives that were evaluated include: (1) No-action (i.e., no 
Mars Pathfinder mission); (2) launch vehicle options, including the 
Space Shuttle, Titan and Atlas configurations, foreign launch vehicles, 
and other Delta configurations; and (3) alternate methods of providing 
supplemental heat to or retaining heat in the Rover electronics 
enclosure. Failure to undertake the Mars Pathfinder mission would 
result in a lost opportunity to gain further scientific knowledge of 
Mars and would prevent demonstration of technologies for efficient 
delivery of scientific payloads to Mars. Of the launch vehicles 
evaluated, the Delta II 7925 most closely matches the mission's needs, 
is relatively low-cost, has superior reliability, and minimizes adverse 
environmental impacts. Because of the small volume available for 
insulation on the Rover, alternate heating methods (i.e., no LWRHU's) 
for the Rover electronics can not provide a suitable thermal 
environment for operation of the electronics while satisfying mission 
objectives.
    Expected impacts to the human environment associated with the 
mission arise almost entirely from the launch of the Delta II 7925. Air 
emissions from the ground-level exhaust consist primarily of carbon 
monoxide, hydrochloric acid, aluminum oxide in soluble and insoluble 
forms, carbon dioxide, and water. Air impacts will be short-term and 
not substantial. Short-term water quality and noise impacts, as well as 
short-term effects on wetlands and plants and animals, will occur in 
the vicinity of the launch complex. None of these effects will be 
substantial. There will be no impact on threatened or endangered 
species or critical habitat, cultural resources, or floodplains. There 
were no accident scenarios and associated environments identified for 
the Delta II 7925 launch system that would result in the release of 
plutonium dioxide from the Rover LWRHU's. While accident environments 
could cause release of the curium used in the APXS, the amount of 
curium is very small, and the associated incremental health risk is 
negligible.
    On the basis of the Mars Pathfinder EA and underlying reference 
documents, NASA has determined that the environmental impacts 
associated with this proposed mission will not individually or 
cumulatively have a significant effect 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. 94-26270 Filed 10-21-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7510-01-M