[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 139 (Wednesday, July 21, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 43629]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-16592]


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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice 04-091]


National Environmental Policy Act; Development of Advanced 
Radioisotope Power Systems

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

ACTION: Extension of the scoping period.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as 
amended (NEPA) (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 
subpart 1216.3), NASA announced its intent to conduct scoping and to 
prepare a Tier I Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 
development of advanced Radioisotope Power Systems (RPSs) on April 22, 
2004 in the Federal Register (69 FR 21867). This notice is to inform 
the public that the scoping period for the Advanced Radioisotope Power 
Systems EIS has been extended through July 30, 2004.
    NASA, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), 
proposes to develop two types of advanced RPSs to satisfy a wide of 
range of future space exploration mission requirements. These advanced 
RPSs would be capable of functioning in the vacuum of space and in the 
environments encountered on the surfaces of the planets, moons and 
other solar system bodies. These power systems would be based upon the 
General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) previously developed by DOE and used 
in the Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators for the Galileo, Ulysses, 
and Cassini missions. The advanced RPSs would be capable of providing 
long-term, reliable electrical power to spacecraft across the range of 
conditions encountered in space and planetary surface missions. The 
Tier I EIS will address in general terms the development and 
qualification for flight of advanced RPSs using passive or dynamic 
systems to convert the heat generated from the decay of plutonium to 
electrical energy, and research and development of technologies that 
could enhance the capability of future RPS systems. This development 
activity would include, but not necessarily be limited to: (1) New 
power conversion technologies to more efficiently use the heat energy 
from the GPHS module, and (2) improving the versatility of the RPS so 
that it would be capable of operating for extended periods both in the 
vacuum of space and in planetary atmospheres. For more detailed 
information see the original Federal Register notice cited above.

DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit comments on 
environmental concerns in writing on or before July 30, 2004, to assure 
full consideration during the scoping process.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Dr. George Schmidt, NASA 
Headquarters, Code S, Washington, DC 20546-0001. While hardcopy 
comments are preferred, comments may be sent by electronic mail to: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. George Schmidt, NASA Headquarters, 
Code S, Washington, DC 20546-0001, by telephone at 202-358-0113, or by 
electronic mail at [email protected].

Jeffrey E. Sutton,
Assistant Administrator for Institutional and Corporate Management.
[FR Doc. 04-16592 Filed 7-20-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7501-01-P