[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 140 (Tuesday, July 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43378-43380]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-18504]


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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice 03-081]


National Environmental Policy Act; Mars Exploration Program

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Notice of intent to conduct scoping and to prepare a Tier 1 
environmental impact statement for the Mars Exploration 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 conduct 
scoping and to prepare a Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
for the Mars Exploration Program (MEP). NASA proposes a coordinated MEP 
that would use robotic orbital, surface, and atmospheric missions to 
gather scientific data on the Martian environment and that would 
continue planning for a potential return of Martian surface samples to 
Earth. Included in the program would be U.S. missions, which may or may 
not include foreign participation, and foreign missions with U.S. 
participation. The proposed MEP would include missions where the use of 
radioisotope heater units and radioisotope power systems are 
contemplated. One or more of the MEP missions may propose returning 
samples from the surface of Mars or its atmosphere.
    The MEP would be a science-driven, technology-enabled effort to 
characterize and understand Mars, including its environment, climate 
and geological history, and biological potential. Utilizing an 
exploration strategy generally known as ``Follow the Water'', 
scientific and engineering

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measurements of Mars would be carried out using robotic assets at Mars. 
Central among the questions to be addressed is: ``Did life ever arise 
on Mars?'' Life, as is currently understood, cannot exist without 
liquid water. Following the water means searching for scientific 
evidence that liquid water was present persistently in the past or is 
present today. Science experiments and technology demonstrations that 
provide critical information for the potential human exploration of 
Mars would also be incorporated through an integrated planning 
approach.
    The overall strategy of the MEP is to generate a continuous flow of 
information and discoveries from scientific and exploration robotic 
spacecraft, including orbiters, landers, mobile laboratories (rovers), 
and atmospheric probes through a Mars-Earth communications network. It 
is intended that one or more major U.S. missions would be launched at 
every Mars launch opportunity (approximately every 26 months) through 
at least the first two decades of the 21st century. Foreign 
participants with NASA in the MEP may include, but not necessarily 
limited to, the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI, the Italian space 
agency), the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES, the French space 
agency), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and the European Space Agency 
(ESA). Launches would most likely take place from Cape Canaveral Air 
Force Station in Florida and, although unlikely, from Vandenberg Air 
Force Base in California.

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit comments or 
environmental concerns in writing on or before September 5, 2003, to 
assure full consideration during the scoping process.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Mr. Mark R. Dahl, NASA 
Headquarters, Code SM, Washington, DC 20546-0001. While hardcopy 
comments are preferred, comments may be sent by electronic mail to: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark R. Dahl, 202-358-4800 or by 
electronic mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Consistent with the NASA strategic plan, the 
MEP has established objectives to address the scientific questions 
associated with the exploration of the planet. These objectives are: 
(1) Seek evidence of ancient or present life on Mars, (2) understand 
the current state and evolution of the atmosphere, surface, and 
interior of Mars, (3) provide scientific support for the planning of 
potential human exploration of Mars.
    The program would implement a series of scientific investigations 
and experiments, developed and prioritized by the broad planetary 
science community, that support the objectives of the program. It would 
include comprehensive Mars data analysis with the full participation 
and involvement of the space science community. Due to the program's 
broad scope and public interest, the MEP would place significant 
importance on education and public outreach.
    As a goal, the program would launch at least one spacecraft at each 
opportunity, providing robotic assets that would enable a near-
continuous data return from Mars. Each orbiter mission would include a 
communications relay capability designed to operate as part of a Mars-
Earth communications network. Each mission would be designed to support 
the ongoing program by validating technologies and providing data and 
lessons learned to future missions.
    Technology developments and improvements over the course of the 
program would enable a progressive increase in the science data 
returned from instruments delivered to Mars orbit and to the surface by 
program spacecraft, enhance the capability to safely and precisely 
place payloads at any desired location on the surface, and enable full 
access to the subsurface, surface and atmospheric regions. Technology 
improvements would also enable extended (one Mars year (1.88 Earth 
years) or more duration, as a goal) surface science investigations, and 
support the development of robotic assets to provide a near-continuous 
data return from the Mars surface. Extended duration missions to the 
surface are likely to include radioisotope power systems as a baseline.
    The MEP missions currently contemplated for launch by 2010 are 
described below. As new information and techniques become available 
during the course of the program, the timing, focus and objectives of 
subsequent MEP missions could be redirected.
    [sbull] The Mars Exploration Rover (MER) project will launch two 
identical spacecraft to Mars in 2003. The purpose of this project is to 
place two rovers on the surface of Mars to remotely conduct geological 
investigations and characterize a diversity of rocks and soils which 
may hold clues to past water activity. Because planning for this 
project began prior to final definition of the MEP, potential 
environmental impacts of the MER-2003 project have already been 
discussed in separate NEPA documentation. NASA published a notice of 
intent to prepare an EIS and to conduct scoping for the MER-2003 
project in the Federal Register (FR) (66 FR 11184, February 22, 2001). 
A Draft EIS for the MER-2003 project was made available for public 
review and comment (67 FR 48894, July 26, 2002), and NASA published its 
Final EIS (67 FR 75863, December 10, 2002).
    [sbull] The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) mission will be 
launched in 2005 to investigate global atmospheric transport processes, 
conduct globally distributed observations of aqueous sediments and 
hydrological process indicators, and collect high-resolution imagery of 
the surface of Mars. ASI is contributing a ground penetrating radar 
science instrument to MRO. No radioisotope heater units or radioisotope 
power systems are proposed for this mission. NASA has designated MRO as 
a routine payload in accordance with the Environmental Assessment (EA) 
for Launch of NASA Routine Payloads and Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FONSI) published by NASA (67 FR 41525, June 18, 2002).
    [sbull] In 2007, the program would launch a continuing series of 
competitively selected small missions, called Scouts, which could allow 
the science community to design investigations that augment the 
objectives of the MEP from new vantage points (e.g., airborne 
platforms, rovers, networks of landers). The Scout missions currently 
remaining in competition for the 2007 opportunity have not proposed the 
use of radioisotope heater units or radioisotope power systems.
    [sbull] In 2009, the program would launch the Mars Science 
Laboratory (MSL), which could conduct multi-disciplinary investigations 
related to biology, climatology, geology, and geochemistry. The MSL 
could utilize a radioisotope power system to provide continuous 
electrical power for mobility and extended duration. A separate Tier 2 
environmental document for the MSL mission may be prepared. Also in 
2009, the program would launch a telecommunications orbiter (Telesat) 
to provide science data relay capability for multiple Mars missions. No 
radioisotope heater units or radioisotope power systems are proposed 
for the Telesat mission.
    Missions to Mars in the following decade would be dependant upon 
the knowledge gained and the discoveries of this decade. NASA, working 
with the science community, has developed potential paths of scientific 
inquiry (called pathways) into the next decade.

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The pathways include both orbital and landed missions designed to 
examine the global diversity of the planet, or designed to focus on 
exploration of surface and shallow subsurface polar ices and sediments, 
including the return of samples from the surface of Mars. The decision 
to follow a particular science pathway would be driven by the 
importance of prior discoveries in the MEP.
    NASA plans to address the environmental impacts of the MEP through 
a two-tiered NEPA process. The Tier 1 EIS will discuss the overall 
purpose and need for the MEP. Because this Tier 1 EIS is being prepared 
during the planning stages for the MEP, specific proposed projects and 
missions within the MEP would only be addressed in terms of a broad, 
conceptual framework. Those missions within the MEP that do not propose 
the use of radioisotope heater units or radioisotope power systems 
would be candidate missions for routine payload designation under the 
EA and FONSI published by NASA (67 FR 41525, June 18, 2002). Those 
missions proposed within the MEP that could utilize radioisotope heater 
units or radioisotope power systems and those missions involving return 
of Martian samples to Earth would be the subject of separate Tier 2 
environmental documentation, using the best available information and 
analysis directly related to that mission. While detailed analyses and 
test data for each spacecraft-launch vehicle combination is not yet 
available, significant safety data and experience from previous 
programs are available to NASA to enable consideration of whether to 
continue planning for the use of radioisotope heater units and 
radioisotope power systems for these proposed missions.
    Alternatives to be considered in the Tier 1 EIS will include, but 
will not necessarily be limited to:
    [sbull] The proposed MEP, which would include orbital and landed 
missions, some of which may utilize radioisotopes for heat and power, 
and may return Martian samples to Earth; and
    [sbull] The No Action Alternative, by which NASA would not 
implement a coordinated MEP, but would continue to explore Mars on a 
less comprehensive, mission-by-mission basis.
    The Tier 1 EIS will address the purpose and need for the proposed 
MEP and the program-level environmental impacts associated with its 
implementation. The environmental impacts of this program are 
anticipated to be those associated with the normal launch of the 
missions, both individually and cumulatively.
    Written public input and comments on alternatives, environmental 
impact issues, and environmental concerns associated with the Mars 
Exploration Program are hereby requested.

Jeffrey E. Sutton,
Assistant Administrator for Management Systems.
[FR Doc. 03-18504 Filed 7-21-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7510-01-P