[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 220 (Thursday, November 16, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 78795]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-25242]


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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice: (23-116); Document Number NASA-23-XXX; Docket Number-NASA-
2022-0002]


National Environmental Policy Act; Mars Sample Return Campaign

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Mars Sample Return (MSR) Campaign 
Record of Decision (ROD) for the Final Programmatic Environmental 
Impact Statement (PEIS).

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SUMMARY: NASA announces its decision to implement the flight elements 
of the MSR Campaign. NASA's decision is supported by the detailed 
analysis found in the Final PEIS, as summarized in the agency's ROD, 
the availability of which is located under ADDRESSES.
    Cooperating agencies for the MSR Campaign effort include the 
Department of the Air Force (DAF) for Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and 
Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida; the Department of the Army 
for Dugway Proving Ground; the U.S. Department of Agriculture; and the 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services--Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention.

ADDRESSES: The complete text of the Tier 1 ROD for the MSR Campaign, as 
well as the Draft and Final PEIS, along with other supporting 
informational materials, are available at https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nepa-mars-sample-return-campaign. All comments received on the Draft 
PEIS are available in their entirety on the MSR Campaign Docket at 
https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NASA-2022-0002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Steve Slaten, NASA Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory, by electronic mail at [email protected] or by telephone at 202-358-0016. For questions 
regarding viewing the Docket, please call the Regulations.gov Help Desk 
at telephone: 1-877-378-5457 (toll free) or 703-454-9859.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MSR Campaign includes a series of flight 
elements to Mars and ground operations on Earth, including spacecraft 
launches from Earth to Mars, retrieving the samples on Mars, and 
delivering them to Earth for study. The Preferred Alternative consists 
of the sum of the following: (1) launch of the Sample Retrieval Lander 
(SRL) element from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station or Kennedy Space 
Center and launch of the Earth Return Orbiter (ERO), which includes the 
Earth Entry System (EES), from the European Space Agency's launch 
facility in French Guiana; (2) landing of the EES (containing the 
retrieved Martian samples) back on Earth at the DAF-managed Utah Test 
and Training Range (UTTR); (3) recovery of the EES at UTTR, with 
supporting activities proposed at the U.S. Army-managed Dugway Proving 
Ground (DPG) in preparation for transfer of the EES with enclosed 
samples to a Sample Receiving Facility (SRF); (4) a programmatic review 
of representative modes of transportation of the EES from DPG to an 
SRF; and (5) a programmatic review of development and operation of 
representative types of an SRF. These last two ground elements of the 
MSR Campaign will be addressed under a forthcoming, tiered NEPA 
analysis and a separate ROD (i.e., Tier 2 ROD).
    The Final PEIS found that no significant adverse impacts are 
anticipated from implementing the MSR Campaign flight elements. NASA, 
in coordination with the DAF, will prepare a collaborative mitigation 
and monitoring plan to identify and track all short-term and long-term 
site preparation and EES recovery activities, non-discretionary 
requirements (e.g., permit requirements), and Best Management Practices 
to ensure all actions to minimize potential environmental impacts 
associated with activities at DAF installations are accomplished in a 
timely and environmentally protective fashion.

Joel R. Carney,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Strategic Infrastructure.
[FR Doc. 2023-25242 Filed 11-15-23; 8:45 am]
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