[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 171 (Thursday, September 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47043-47044]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23824]


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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).

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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 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]
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