Federal Register Notice: National Environmental Policy Act; Pluto-Kuiper Belt Mission
[Federal Register: June 10, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 111)]
[&thnsp;Notices]
[Page 39748-39749]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10jn02-115]
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
[Notice: 02-074 ]
National Environmental Policy Act; Pluto-Kuiper Belt Mission
AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
ACTION: Information update and reopening of scoping period.
SUMMARY: On October 7, 1998, NASA published in the Federal Register a
notice of intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental impact statement
(EIS) for NASA’s Pluto-Kuiper Express Mission. The notice was issued in
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
amended (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and Council on Environmental
Quality and NASA’s implementing regulations. Since publication of the
NOI, NASA prepared further evaluations of the mission design, including
the alternatives indicated in the NOI. These evaluations have resulted
in refinement of NASA’s original concept for the mission, specifically
with respect to details such as specific launch dates, launch vehicle
options, and the use of an advanced radioisotope power source (RPS) for
onboard power. The renamed Pluto-Kuiper Belt mission is now proposed
for launch in January 2006 on an expendable launch vehicle from Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), Florida, with an arrival at Pluto
not later than 2020. NASA’s original concept has also been modified to
utilize a conventional radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG)
instead of an advanced RPS originally envisioned. It is not anticipated
that any radioisotope heater units (RHU) would be needed.
The draft EIS will address the environmental impacts associated
with launching and operating the mission, the No Action alternative,
and other alternatives. This notice informs the public of the revised
proposal, reopens the scoping period, and solicits new public comment.
DATES: Interested parties are invited to submit comments on
environmental concerns in writing on or before July 25, 2002, to assure
full consideration during the extended scoping process.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to Mr. Kurt Lindstrom,
NASA Headquarters, Code SE, Washington, DC 20546-0001. Comments
may also be sent by electronic mail to: osspluto@hq.nasa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Kurt Lindstrom, Code SE, NASA
Headquarters, Washington, DC 20546-0001;
202-358-1588; electronic mail: osspluto@hq.nasa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The October 7, 1998, NOI described the
purpose and structure of the EIS for the proposed Pluto-Kuiper Express
mission. At that time NASA’s original concept was to launch the Pluto-
Kuiper Express spacecraft in November 2003 or in December 2004 on
either the Space Shuttle from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, or an
expendable launch vehicle from CCAFS, Florida. Both proposed
trajectories would have involved a Jupiter gravity assist maneuver,
allowing the spacecraft to arrive at Pluto in time to take advantage of
its close orbital position relative to the Sun. The original concept
for the Pluto-Kuiper Express mission included the potential use of a
new advanced RPS under study for deep-space exploration, and
approximately 80 RHUs. NASA anticipated that an RPS, due to improved
power conversion system efficiency, would require less radioactive
material (plutonium dioxide) than a conventional RTG.
Since publication of the 1998 NOI, NASA has revised its original
concept for the Pluto-Kuiper Express mission, renamed the Pluto-Kuiper
Belt mission. As a result of more detailed mission design studies and
programmatic evaluations, NASA has determined that launch of the Pluto-
Kuiper Belt spacecraft is not feasible before January 2006, and
therefore has eliminated the November 2003 and December 2004 launch
opportunities from further consideration. The January 2006 launch
opportunity is now the launch opportunity for the proposed mission. The
proposed mission would still require a Jupiter gravity assist
trajectory. The flight time to Pluto with the new opportunity would be
10 to 12 years, with the spacecraft arriving at Pluto before 2020.
After 2006, Jupiter will not be in the proper alignment to provide a
gravity assist toward Pluto until 2015. Arrival by 2020 gives the best
opportunity to study Pluto near its closest approach to the sun, which
will provide the best conditions for scientific observations. A backup
launch opportunity may exist in 2007 using a direct trajectory to
Pluto. While direct trajectories to Pluto are available approximately
every 13 months, after 2007 the flight times are projected to be too
long to provide timely return of scientific data.
The proposed 2006 launch date for the mission also affects
potential use of the Space Shuttle, which was proposed in the original
NOI as the primary launch vehicle. For programmatic and technical
reasons, the Space Shuttle is not proposed for this mission. As
proposed, the Pluto-Kuiper Belt mission would be launched on an
expendable launch vehicle.
Use of an RPS on the proposed mission would be dependent upon full-
scale development of a new power conversion system and qualification
testing of the RPS to assure its suitability for long-duration space
missions. The development and testing processes would not result in an
RPS that would be fully qualified by 2006 for use on the proposed
mission. Thus, the mission concept has been revised to include a
conventional RTG to provide electrical power for the Pluto-Kuiper Belt
spacecraft. Because a conventional RTG would generate a greater amount
of heat, RHUs would no longer be needed to provide auxiliary heat for
spacecraft thermal control.
In preparing the Pluto-Kuiper Belt mission draft EIS, NASA will
consider comments from the scoping process initiated by publication of
the original 1998 NOI, and any new comments received in response to
this notice.
Jeffrey E. Sutton,
Assistant Administrator for Management Systems.
[FR Doc. 02-14409 Filed 6-7-02; 8:45 am]
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