[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 129 (Wednesday, July 8, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32684-32685]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-16127]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Office of Commercial Space Transportation; Notice of Availability 
of the Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact 
for Pegasus Launches at the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll Ronald Reagan 
Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site

AGENCY: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), lead agency; U.S. 
Army, cooperating agency.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), Council on 
Environmental Quality NEPA implementing regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-
1508), and FAA Order 1050.1E, Change 1, the FAA is announcing the 
availability of the Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No 
Significant Impact (FONSI) for Pegasus Launches at the U.S. Army 
Kwajalein Atoll Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site 
(USAKA/RTS).
    Orbital Sciences Corporation has applied to the FAA for renewal of 
Launch Operator License (LLO) 04-069. Under the Proposed Action (the 
preferred alternative), the FAA would

[[Page 32685]]

renew Orbital Sciences Corporation's Launch Operator License for launch 
operations of the Pegasus expendable launch vehicle family. Launches 
would occur from USAKA/RTS in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, a 
subordinate command of the U.S. Army Space and Strategic Defense 
Command.
    The Pegasus expendable launch vehicle consists of three solid 
rocket propellant motor stages with an optional liquid propellant-based 
Hydrazine Auxiliary Propulsion System (HAPS) and is designed to be 
carried to its launch point by an L-1011 Launch Carrier Aircraft (LCA). 
The L-1011 LCA, which consists of FAA-approved standard engines, uses 
Commercial Jet-A or Military JP4 or JP10 fuel. Pre-launch and mating 
activities would be performed at Vandenberg Air Force Base under LLO 
00-053. A separate environmental review was conducted in conjunction 
with the approval of LLO 00-053. Therefore, the Proposed Action 
addressed in the EA does not include Pegasus pre-launch processing 
operations.
    Once the LCA and mated launch vehicle have landed at USAKA/RTS, 
system checks would be conducted. The LCA would be refueled. 
Concurrently, an advisory to nearby ships and aircraft would be issued. 
The LCA and mated Pegasus vehicle would leave USAKA/RTS under jet power 
and travel to the launch site over the Pacific Ocean. Following the 
release of the Pegasus launch vehicle, the L-1011 LCA would return to a 
designated runway at USAKA/RTS. The first and second stages would 
detach during flight and fall, unpowered, to the ocean. The third stage 
would continue to carry the payload into orbital insertion; detach from 
the payload and optional HAPS (if appropriate), and fall into the 
ocean. None of the jettisoned stages would be recovered. The EA 
addresses the potential environmental impacts of implementing the 
Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative of not renewing Orbital 
Sciences' Launch Operator License.
    The FAA has posted the EA and FONSI on the FAA Web site at http://ast.faa.gov. In addition, hardcopies and/or CDs of the EA and FONSI 
were sent to persons and agencies on the distribution list (found in 
Chapter 7 of the EA).
    Additional Information: Under the Proposed Action (the preferred 
alternative), the FAA would renew Orbital Sciences' Launch Operator 
License for launch operations of the Pegasus expendable launch vehicle 
family. The L-1011 LCA with the mated Pegasus launch vehicle would 
travel under jet power to the launch site over the Pacific Ocean. At an 
altitude of 35,000 feet, the L-1011 would release the Pegasus launch 
vehicle and return to a designated runway at USAKA/RTS. The Pegasus 
vehicle would free fall for 5 seconds before the first stage motor was 
ignited. The first stage of the Pegasus vehicle would burn for 
approximately 77 seconds following ignition while propelling the 
vehicle to an altitude of approximately 223,000 feet. The spent first 
stage would detach and fall back to the ocean. The second stage motor 
would ignite and burn for approximately 83 seconds, carrying the 
vehicle and its payload to an altitude of 689,000 feet. During the 
ignition of the second stage, the payload fairing would jettison and 
fall into the ocean. The spent second stage would detach and fall to 
the ocean. The third stage would continue to burn for 65 seconds 
carrying the payload into orbital insertion; detach from payload and 
optional HAPS (if appropriate), and fall into the ocean. The optional 
HAPS fourth stage could be used in or near orbit to obtain higher 
altitudes, achieve finer altitude accuracy, or conduct more complex 
maneuvers. None of the jettisoned stages would be recovered.
    The L-1011 LCA, which consists of FAA-approved standard engines, 
uses Commercial Jet-A or Military JP4 or JP10 fuel. Section 3.1.2.6 of 
the 1989 EA includes a detailed description of the Pegasus launch 
vehicle.
    The only alternative to the Proposed Action analyzed in the EA is 
the No Action Alternative. Under this alternative, the FAA would not 
renew Orbital Sciences' Launch Operator License and there would be no 
commercial launches of the Pegasus launch vehicle conducted from USAKA/
RTS. Existing operating procedures, military operations, and other 
launch activities would continue at USAKA/RTS.
    Resource areas were considered to provide a context for 
understanding and assessing the potential environmental effects of the 
Proposed Action. The EA does not analyze all environmental resources 
areas in detail because not all resource areas are affected by the 
Proposed Action. The resource areas analyzed in detail in the EA 
included air quality; biological resources; hazardous materials, 
pollution prevention, and solid waste; noise; and water resources 
(surface water, groundwater, floodplains, and wetlands), and cumulative 
impacts.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Daniel Czelusniak, Environmental 
Specialist, Office of Commercial Space Transportation, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Suite 331, Washington, DC 
20591; telephone (202) 267-5924; e-mail [email protected].

    Issued in Washington, DC on July 1, 2009.

    Responsible Official:
Michael McElligott,
Manager, Space Systems Development Division.
[FR Doc. E9-16127 Filed 7-7-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P