[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 170 (Friday, September 1, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52169-52171]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-14586]


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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice (06-062)]


National Environmental Policy Act; Development of the Crew 
Exploration Vehicle

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

[[Page 52170]]


ACTION: Finding of No Significant Impact.

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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 policy and procedures (14 CFR Part 
1216 subpart 1216.3), NASA has made a Finding of No Significant Impact 
(FONSI) with respect to the proposed development of the Crew 
Exploration Vehicle (CEV). The CEV, a reusable Apollo-like capsule, 
would enable our Nation's renewed commitment to human space exploration 
of the Moon and beyond and provide human and cargo access to the 
International Space Station no later than 2014. Development of the CEV 
would entail the design, fabrication and assembly of different variants 
of the spacecraft that meet mission requirements for journeys to Low-
Earth Orbit, Moon, Mars, and destinations beyond. Development 
activities would occur at multiple NASA and commercial facilities 
throughout the United States. Under the Proposed Action a limited 
number of CEV spacecraft would be assembled and made available for 
future testing and flight qualification.

DATES: This Proposed Action may proceed as of the date of signature of 
this FONSI.

ADDRESSES: The Final Environmental Assessment (EA) that supports this 
FONSI may be reviewed at the following NASA locations:
    (a) NASA Headquarters, Library, Room 1J20, 300 E Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20546-0001; and
    (b) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Visitor's Lobby, Building 249, 4800 
Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109.
    In addition, hard copies of the Final EA may be examined at other 
NASA Centers (see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below).
    A limited number of hard copies of the Final EA are available for 
persons wishing a copy by contacting Mario Busacca at the address, 
electronic mail address, telephone or fax number indicated herein. The 
Final EA is also available on-line in Acrobat[supreg] format at http://exploration.nasa.gov/documents/cev_finalea.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mario Busacca, Lead, Planning and 
Special Projects, NASA/KSC, Environmental Program Office, Mail Code TA-
C3, NASA, Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899; electronic mail, 
[email protected]; telephone, 321-867-8456; and fax, 321-867-
8040.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NASA initiated a 30-day public review and 
comment period for the Draft Environmental Assessment of the 
Development of the Crew Exploration Vehicle by publishing a notice in 
the Federal Register on July 20, 2006 (71 FR 41260). The public review 
period closed on August 25, 2006. NASA received eight comment letters, 
all from Federal and State agencies and confined to relatively minor 
factual errors or regulatory requirements in the event that CEV 
activities were to take place in a specific State. The Final EA has 
been modified from the Draft EA in response to those comments to the 
extent applicable. NASA has reviewed the Final EA and has determined 
that it represents an accurate and adequate analysis of the scope and 
level of associated environmental impacts. The Final EA is incorporated 
by reference in this FONSI.
    In his January 14, 2004, address to the Nation, President George W. 
Bush announced a new policy for space exploration with the goal of 
landing humans on the Moon before the end of the next decade, paving 
the way for eventual human journeys to other destinations. In pursuing 
this new policy, NASA has been tasked with developing the spacecraft, 
launch vehicles and related technologies necessary to travel and 
explore the Solar System. The CEV represents an important building 
block in this future exploration architecture.
    NASA is proposing to fund the development of the CEV, a new human-
rated space vehicle. The CEV would provide human and cargo access to 
the International Space Station and make possible human return to and 
exploration of the Moon. Lunar missions would build mission-operations 
experience necessary for the planning and implementation of human 
exploration missions to Mars and eventually beyond.
    The CEV would consist of a Crew Module, a Service Module and a 
Launch Escape System. The Crew Module, a conical Apollo-like reusable 
capsule, would provide habitable volume for up to six crew members, 
life support, pressurized space for cargo during uncrewed missions, 
docking with other space vehicles and atmospheric entry and landing 
capabilities. The Service Module, a cylindrical structure fixed to the 
rear of the Crew Module, would contain the propulsion and power systems 
and the thermal control elements for the Crew Module. Electric power 
would be generated via two deployable solar arrays attached to the 
Service Module. The CEV Service Module would be similar in design to 
the Apollo Service Module. The Launch Escape System would be mounted 
atop the Crew Module and would be similar in design to the Apollo 
Launch Escape System. The Launch Escape System would be activated if an 
emergency occurs during launch or ascent operations separating the Crew 
Module safely from the remainder of the launch vehicle stack.
    The CEV design would utilize a modular approach, with different 
variants keyed to the needs of missions to Low-Earth Orbit, the Moon 
and Mars. These needs continue to evolve reflecting the results of 
ongoing trade studies, discussions of mission goals, and analyses of 
costs, benefits, and risks. The CEV would also be capable of 
incorporating technological advances that may develop over its service 
life.
    The CEV development activities addressed under the Proposed Action 
would include design and fabrication of components and subsystems and 
assembly of a limited number of spacecraft. Development activities 
would be performed at a number of existing NASA and commercial 
facilities throughout the United States. If NASA proceeds with CEV 
development, the Agency would contract with a commercial firm to serve 
as the prime contractor, with specific design, fabrication and assembly 
activities to be clarified as the CEV Program matures. These activities 
would be expected to be consistent with the mission and normal scope of 
operations of each facility and subject to applicable Federal 
environmental regulations and those of the respective States and 
localities.
    It is expected that CEV development activities would not involve 
construction of major new buildings at any NASA or commercial facility. 
However, additions or modifications to existing facilities or testing 
areas may be required in the future. As these requirements become known 
they would be evaluated for compliance with applicable Federal, State 
and local environmental regulations. Obligations for revised 
environmental permits and additional environmental documentation would 
be determined.
    All design, fabrication, and assembly of CEV components and 
subsystems at NASA and commercial facilities would be expected to 
result in air emissions and waste streams at levels within existing 
environmental permit limitations at each facility. As such, the short- 
and long-term environmental

[[Page 52171]]

impacts would be expected to be within the limits of all applicable 
environmental laws and regulations. Little or no adverse impact on the 
local infrastructure (e.g., roadways) or traffic near the facilities 
involved in CEV development would be anticipated. There should be 
little incremental impact on employment levels at the facilities 
involved in CEV development. Thus little or no incremental 
socioeconomic impacts to regional economies would be expected. CEV 
development activities at NASA facilities would be considered to be 
within the normal scope of activities at each facility and therefore 
would have no disproportionately high or adverse human health or 
environmental impacts on low-income populations or minority 
populations.
    Alternatives considered but not evaluated further included 
extending Space Shuttle service and weighing different CEV concepts. 
Refurbishing the Space Shuttle for long-term cargo delivery and human 
access to the International Space Station was considered impractical. 
Major modifications to the Shuttle's design to improve crew safety 
significantly (e.g., a crew escape system) cannot be implemented 
easily. Moreover, the Shuttle was not designed to withstand the Earth 
re-entry speeds of a Lunar mission. If flights were to be extended 
beyond the planned retirement in 2010, the fleet would require 
recertification, a costly and lengthy process. Moreover, the President 
has decided to curtail Shuttle operations after 2010.
    Other designs and configurations for the CEV were considered 
initially by NASA. Winged vehicles, lifting bodies, and slender bodies 
as well as other approaches were addressed and discarded. In the end, 
it was determined that the present proposed configuration, a legacy of 
the Apollo Program, was best suited to the long-term safety and success 
of the human spaceflight systems needed for exploration of the Moon and 
Mars. Therefore, none of the other configurations was considered 
further for the purposes of the Final EA.
    The alternative evaluated was the No-Action Alternative (i.e., no 
CEV development). Failure to develop the CEV would disrupt efforts to 
achieve long-term goals and objectives set forth in NASA's New Vision 
for Space Exploration, the centerpiece of our Nation's civilian space 
policy. The value of the CEV in realizing the scientific, security, and 
economic interests underlying the Vision is high. While potential 
environmental impacts would be avoided by cancellation of the proposed 
CEV development, the loss of scientific knowledge and other national 
interests could be substantial. The United States would not have a 
spacecraft capable of transporting humans to the International Space 
Station once the Space Shuttle is retired or to undertake missions to 
the Lunar surface, Mars or other destinations in the Solar System. 
Furthermore, people who currently manage the day-to-day operations of 
the Space Shuttle would not be able to transfer to the CEV program, and 
United States would risk losing the only skilled-operations workforce 
with human space-flight experience.
    The Final EA that supports this FONSI may be examined by contacting 
the pertinent Freedom of Information Office:
    (a) NASA, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035 (650-604-
3273);
    (b) NASA, Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA 93523 (661-
276-2704);
    (c) NASA, Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH 44135 (866-404-
3642);
    (d) NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (301-
286-4721);
    (e) NASA, Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058 (281-483-8612);
    (f) NASA, Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899 (321-867-2745);
    (g) NASA, Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23681 (757-864-
2497);
    (h) NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 35812 (256-
544-1837); and
    (i) NASA, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (228-688-2118).
    Should NASA proceed with CEV development, the assembled spacecraft 
would undergo testing and flight qualification prior to obtaining 
operational status. These actions would be the subject of future 
environmental documentation.
    On the basis of the Final EA, I have determined that the 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action would not 
individually or cumulatively have a significant impact on the quality 
of the human environment.

    Dated: August 29, 2006.
Douglas Cooke,
Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Mission 
Directorate.
 [FR Doc. E6-14586 Filed 8-31-06; 8:45 am]
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