[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 73 (Friday, April 15, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22578-22581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-08088]


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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Document Number NASA-22-024; Docket Number-NASA-2022-0002]


National Environmental Policy Act; Mars Sample Return Campaign

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

ACTION: Notice of intent; notice of meetings; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(NEPA), as amended, the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations 
for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA, and NASA's 
procedures for implementing NEPA, NASA will prepare a Programmatic 
Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the Mars Sample Return (MSR) 
Campaign; cooperating agencies for this effort include the U.S. Air 
Force (in accordance with, Environmental Impact Analysis Process), U.S. 
Army, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Department of Health and 
Human Services--Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The PEIS 
will provide information related to the potential environmental impacts 
associated with the proposed return of Mars samples to Earth for 
scientific analysis. Potential impacts to be analyzed in the PEIS 
include those associated with ground disturbance from landing site 
preparation, and sample vehicle landing and recovery efforts with 
respect to natural, biological and cultural resources. NASA will also 
assess potential impacts to the human and natural environment 
associated with loss of containment of Mars sample materials. 
Additional information about the MSR Campaign may be found on the 
internet at: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/mars-sample-return-msr.

DATES: The public scoping period for this PEIS is for a period of 30 
days from publication of this notice. Fact sheets and other information 
regarding the NEPA and scoping process for the MSR Campaign will be 
made available at the following website beginning on April 15, 2022: 
www.nasa.gov/feature/nepa-mars-sample-return-campaign.
    NASA will hold two VIRTUAL public scoping meetings to solicit 
comments regarding the Proposed Action and the environmental issues 
which NASA should consider in the PEIS. The virtual meetings will be 
held on May 4, 2022; 1 p.m.-3 p.m. (Mountain) and May 5; 6 p.m.-8 p.m. 
(Mountain) at the following URL: https://jpl.webex.com/meet/msr. The 
call-in number for audio-only users is: +1-510-210-8882.
    The meetings will begin with a brief welcome message followed by a 
10-minute NASA presentation describing the purpose of the scoping 
meetings, project schedule, opportunities for public involvement, 
proposed action and alternatives summary, and programmatic approach. A 
20-minute technical presentation regarding the MSR Campaign will then 
be provided. After the formal presentations will be a 30-minute virtual 
``Open House'' and question and answer session where meeting 
participants can ask questions of the panel presenters. After the 
technical presentations and question and answer session, the official 
scoping comment submission portion of the meetings will begin. The 
scoping comment submission session will be 55-

[[Page 22579]]

minutes, where members of the public may provide up to a three-minute 
comment. The virtual public meetings may end later than the stated time 
depending on the number of persons who wish to submit a comment. At 
this time, NASA does not intend to provide English-language translation 
unless specifically requested at least one week prior to the meetings.
    NASA expects to release a Draft PEIS for public and agency review 
and comment in Fall 2022, and a Record of Decision in Spring/Summer 
2023.

ADDRESSES: Advance registration to attend or provide a comment at 
either of the virtual public meetings is not required. As noted above 
in DATES, public meeting attendees may submit comments during the 
public meeting, or by other means described below throughout the 30-day 
comment period. Please provide your comments no later than May15, 2022 
to ensure consideration in the Draft PEIS.
    Comments must be identified with Docket No. NASA-2022-0002 and may 
be sent to NASA as follows:
    <bullet> Federal E-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Please note 
that NASA will post all comments on the internet without changes, 
including any personal information provided.
    <bullet> By mail to Steve Slaten, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 
4800 Oak Grove Drive, M/S: 200-119, Pasadena, California 91109-8099.
    We encourage you to submit comments electronically through the 
Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. If you submit 
your comments electronically, it is not necessary to also submit a hard 
copy. All comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov. Before including your address, phone number, email 
address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, be 
advised that your entire comment--including any personal identifying 
information you provide--may be publicly available at any time. While 
you can ask us in your comment to withhold from public review your 
personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Steve Slaten, National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration, by electronic mail at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c489a5b6b7e9b7a5a9b4a8a1e9b6a1b0b1b6aae9aaa1b4a584a8adb7b0b7eaaaa5b7a5eaa3abb2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6f220e1d1c421c0e021f030a421d0a1b1a1d0142010a1f0e2f03061c1b1c41010e1c0e41080019">[email protected]</span></a> or by telephone at 202-358-0016. For questions 
regarding viewing the Docket, please call Docket Operations, telephone: 
202-366-9317 or 202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NASA, in coordination with the European 
Space Agency (ESA), proposes to conduct a campaign to retrieve a 
scientifically selected set of samples (i.e., Martian rocks, regolith, 
and atmosphere), acquired and cached on the surface of Mars by the 
Perseverance rover, and return them to Earth for scientific analysis 
and research. The proposed landing and recovery location for the Mars 
samples is the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR), which is under the 
jurisdictional control of the United States Air Force. Additional 
Earth-based ground elements associated with sample transportation 
(utilizing over-the-road and/or aircraft to transport the samples off 
the UTTR) and sample management/research (otherwise referred to as 
``curation'') involving the development and operation of a Sample 
Return Facility (SRF) are also part of the MSR Campaign mission 
architecture.

Virtual Public Meetings and Virtual Open House and Q&A

    We encourage you to visit the informational website at 
www.nasa.gov/feature/nepa-mars-sample-return-campaign and attend one or 
both of the virtual public scoping meetings to learn about, and comment 
on, the proposed MSR Campaign. You will have the opportunity to 
verbally submit comments during the virtual public meetings on the 
scope and significance of the issues related to the proposed MSR 
Campaign that should be addressed in the PEIS.
    In order to allow everyone a chance to speak at the virtual public 
meetings, we may limit speaker time, extend the meeting hours, or both. 
You must identify yourself, and any organization you represent, by 
name. Your remarks will be recorded and/or transcribed for inclusion in 
the public docket.
    Public docket materials will be made available to the public on the 
Federal Docket Management System website (www.regulations.gov).
    If you plan to attend one of the virtual public meetings and need 
special assistance such as sign language interpretation or closed 
captioning, non-English language translator services, or other 
reasonable accommodation, please notify the NASA representative 
identified above in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section at 
least seven business days in advance of the virtual public meeting. 
Please include your contact information as well as information about 
your specific needs.

Request for Comments

    We request public comment on this proposal. The comments may relate 
to, but are not limited to, the environmental impact of the proposed 
action. All comments will be accepted. The virtual public meetings are 
not the only opportunity you have to comment on the MSR Campaign 
proposed action. In addition to, or in place of, attending one of the 
virtual meetings, you may submit comments directly to the Federal 
Docket Management System during the public comment period (30 days from 
this notice). We will consider all comments and material received 
during the 30-day scoping period.
    The material presented at the public meetings, received comments, 
and associated documentation, as well as the draft and Final PEISs 
(when published) are available for viewing at www.nasa.gov/feature/nepa-mars-sample-return-campaign.
    Regardless of the method used for submitting comments, all 
submissions will be posted without change to the Federal Docket 
Management System website (http://www.regulations.gov) and may include 
any personal information you provide. Therefore, submitting this 
information to the docket makes it public. You may wish to read the 
Privacy and Use Notice that is available on the Federal Docket 
Management System website (Regulations.gov--https://www.regulations.gov/user-notice). You may view docket submissions at 
the Federal Docket Management System or electronically on the Federal 
Docket Management System website.

Background

    Information about the MSR Campaign is available at: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/mars-sample-return-msr. Consideration of the 
proposed MSR Campaign includes review of the proposed action on the 
natural and human environment. For the proposed MSR Campaign, NASA is 
coordinating its review with a number of Cooperating Agencies that have 
jurisdiction by law over part of the proposed action or have special 
expertise with respect to environmental issues related to the proposed 
action. NASA is the lead Federal agency for determining the scope of 
this review, and in this case, it has been determined that review will 
include preparation of a PEIS. This NOI is required by 40 CFR 1501.9. 
It briefly describes the proposed action, possible alternatives, and 
our proposed scoping process. You can address any questions about the 
proposed action, the scoping process, or the PEIS to the NASA project

[[Page 22580]]

manager identified in the notice (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

Proposed Action and Alternatives

    The proposed action requiring environmental review is NASA's 
proposed MSR Campaign (see below: Summary of the MSR Campaign). The 
alternative to undertaking the MSR Campaign is to not undertake the 
campaign, which for purposes of environmental review under NEPA, is the 
``no-action'' alternative.

Scoping Process

    Public scoping is an early and open process for identifying and 
determining the scope of issues to be addressed in the PEIS. Scoping 
begins with this notice and continues through the conclusion of the 
public comment period (see DATES). Once the scoping process is 
complete, NASA will prepare a draft PEIS. When complete, NASA will 
publish a Federal Register notice announcing public availability of the 
Draft PEIS. (If you want that notice to be sent to you, please contact 
the NASA project manager identified in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT.) You will have an opportunity to review and comment on the 
Draft PEIS. NASA and other appropriate Cooperating Agencies will 
consider the received comments and prepare the Final PEIS. As with the 
Draft PEIS, we will announce the availability of the Final PEIS and 
give you an opportunity for review and comment before a Record of 
Decision is announced.

Summary of the MSR Campaign

    Overall, the MSR Campaign spans six elements: Four flight elements, 
which include the Perseverance Rover, two Sample Retrieval Landers 
(``Landers''--a Sample Fetch Rover Lander and Mars Ascent Vehicle 
Lander) and their subcomponents, and the Earth Return Orbiter (the 
``Orbiter''), its subcomponents and recovery of the samples; and two 
ground elements, which include sample transportation and an SRF. The 
following is an overall summary of the MSR Campaign.
    The Perseverance Rover (previously addressed in the Final 
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Mars 2020 Mission) 
(see https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/20200115_mars_2020_seis_final_tagged.pdf) is currently collecting Mars 
samples in environmentally sealed and rigorously engineered tubes and 
will eventually deposit select sets of tubes on the planet surface for 
later recovery. Specific Lander designs are still under consideration. 
NASA anticipates that the Lander payload mass and volume may result in 
the need for the equipment to be divided into two payloads, therefore 
requiring two separate Landers and launches. At this time, NASA has not 
confirmed if the use of Radioisotope Heater Units (RHUs) will be 
necessary to ensure that mission needs are met; the RHUs would generate 
heat, but no electricity, to support Lander function on the surface of 
Mars. If RHUs will be necessary, a payload of up to 20 RHUs may be 
included in the Lander designs.
    The Landers are proposed for launch from either Cape Canaveral 
Space Force Station or Kennedy Space Center (depending on the launch 
vehicle yet to be selected). NASA anticipates launch of the Landers in 
of either 2026, 2028, or 2030 depending on the status of mission 
architecture and launch period availability. NASA anticipates Mars 
sample return to Earth approximately five years from launch of the 
Landers. The ESA Orbiter launch from French Guiana would then coincide 
with the NASA launch(es). All vehicles would transit to Mars. The 
Orbiter would enter Mars orbit, and the Landers would land directly on 
the Martian surface, similar to the recent Perseverance rover landing, 
in the vicinity of one or more sample tube sets. The samples would 
consist of approximately 35 tubes weighing about 25 grams each, for a 
total sample amount of approximately 525 grams (about 1 pound). Once on 
Mars, the Sample Fetch Rover would be deployed. The Sample Fetch Rover 
would then retrieve sample tubes left on the surface by Perseverance 
and deliver them to the Lander with the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV). If 
still operational, the Perseverance rover could also deliver sample 
tubes it retained on board directly to the Lander. A Sample Transfer 
Arm on the lander would be used to transfer samples from the Sample 
Fetch Rover and/or Perseverance rover into the Orbiting Sample 
container within the MAV.
    The Mars Ascent Vehicle would be launched from the Martian surface 
into Mars orbit. Once in orbit, the Mars Ascent Vehicle would deploy 
the Orbiting Sample container to rendezvous with the Orbiter. Once at 
the Orbiter, the Orbiting Sample container would be captured by the 
Capture, Containment, and Return System module. When retrieved by the 
Capture, Containment, and Return System module, the Orbiting Sample 
container would be stored in redundant containment vessels and placed 
in the Earth Entry Vehicle, creating the Earth Entry System (EES). The 
Orbiter would then leave Mars orbit and navigate to a trajectory that 
would bring it close to Earth without placing itself on an impact 
trajectory. After a series of system health and navigation checks, the 
Orbiter would then fire its thrusters to achieve a short-lived Earth 
return trajectory. Once this trajectory is confirmed and the proper 
point is reached, the Capture, Containment, and Return System module 
would release the EES on a path to enter the Earth's atmosphere. The 
EES would then enter Earth's atmosphere and descend, reaching a 
velocity of approximately 35 to 45 meters per second (around 78 to 100 
miles per hour) before landing at the UTTR. After EES release, the 
Orbiter would navigate to a trajectory that would avoid Earth for over 
100 years, ensuring that residual Mars material, if any, associated 
with the Orbiter is not returned to Earth.
    Prior to EES landing, recovery teams would be staged at strategic 
locations surrounding the proposed landing site; the objective being to 
contain and recover the EES as quickly as possible. Staging areas would 
include communications equipment and vehicles (land and/or air) and 
equipment for use in transport to and from the landing site. The 
primary staging area would have a mobile containment system (or 
``vault''). Once the EES has landed, the recovery team would transit to 
the landing site and contain the EES. Because the samples should be 
treated as though potentially hazardous until demonstrated otherwise, 
the EES would be handled under the highest level of containment, 
handling, and transportation regulatory standards. Additionally, 
although release of Mars sample particles is considered an off-nominal 
event, recovery teams would handle the landing event as though a 
release has occurred, thereby ensuring proper containment and 
decontamination of the EES and landing site. After arrival of the 
recovery team, the landing site would be cordoned off, and a 100-
square-meter (1,076-square-foot) tent would be erected over the EES. As 
a precautionary measure, the EES would then be decontaminated, placed 
in a protective biohazard plastic bag, and then inserted into a 2-meter 
by 2-meter (6.56-foot by 6.56-foot) sealed travel case. The exterior of 
the EES travel case would be decontaminated before leaving the tent, 
and the EES travel case would be placed on a vehicle and transported to 
the roadside staging area and into the vault for shipment to an SRF. 
After removal of the EES, the entire contents of the tent and the 
landing site would be decontaminated as a precautionary measure. 
Samples of the landing site/

[[Page 22581]]

impact area would also be taken for contamination knowledge/biological 
knowledge after the EES is removed but before decontamination of the 
area. These samples would be transported under containment with the EES 
to the SRF for analysis. Prior to, and in support of, EES landing the 
proposed landing area would be cleared of old target objects and other 
debris (e.g., railroad ties) that pose an impact risk to the EES.
    ``Planetary protection'' is the discipline/practice of protecting 
solar system bodies (e.g., a planet, planetary moon, or asteroid) from 
contamination by Earth life and, in the case of sample return missions, 
protecting Earth from potential hazards posed by extraterrestrial 
matter. For missions returning samples from planetary bodies considered 
to potentially harbor life, NASA is required to address Presidential 
Directive (PD)/National Security Council (NSC)-25, Scientific or 
Technological Experiments with Possible Large-Scale Adverse 
Environmental Effects and Launch of Nuclear Systems into Space, by 
presenting detailed information regarding the importance and potential 
environmental effects of the mission in the MSR Campaign's PEIS. NASA's 
planetary protection policies address missions involving samples 
returned from various solar system bodies as detailed in NASA Policy 
Directive 8020.7G. The NASA policies are guided by the planetary 
protection policies published by the international Committee on Space 
Research (COSPAR) in response to the United Nations Outer Space Treaty. 
NASA Procedural Requirement (NPR) 8715.24, Planetary Protection 
Provisions for Robotic Extraterrestrial Missions, provides guidelines 
for categorizing missions according to the destination and proposed 
activity. NPR 8715.24 also provides specific procedural requirements 
for certain mission categories. All missions returning samples from 
outside the Earth-Moon system are designated as Category V. Under 
Category V, there are two subcategories: Unrestricted Earth Return--
sample return missions from solar system bodies deemed by scientific 
consensus to have no extraterrestrial life (e.g., Earth's Moon and 
Venus); and Restricted Earth Return (RER)--sample return missions from 
solar system bodies deemed by scientific opinion to have a possibility 
of harboring indigenous life forms (e.g., Mars or Europa). RER missions 
have requirements to break the chain of contact with the target body as 
well as isolate and robustly contain restricted samples during all 
mission phases through safe receipt and containment on Earth.
    Due to the potential for past or present indigenous life forms on 
Mars, the sample return portion of the MSR Campaign is expected to be 
classified as a Category V Restricted Earth Return activity, which 
requires an environmental impact statement under 14 CFR 1216.306. The 
PEIS anticipates that this categorization will be established, and the 
PEIS' analysis provides for the most conservative approach. The general 
scientific consensus is that the Martian surface is too inhospitable 
for life to survive there today. It is a freezing landscape with no 
liquid water that is continually bombarded with harsh radiation. 
Scientists are interested in returning samples that may reveal what the 
Martian environment was like billions of years ago, when the planet was 
wetter and may have supported microbial life. There is no current 
evidence that the samples collected by the Mars 2020 mission from the 
first few inches of the Martian surface could contain microorganisms 
that would be harmful to Earth's environment. Nevertheless, out of an 
abundance of caution and in accordance with NASA policy and 
regulations, NASA would implement measures to ensure that the Mars 
samples are contained (with redundant layers of containment) so that 
they could not impact humans or Earth's environment, and the samples 
would remain contained until they are examined and confirmed safe for 
distribution to terrestrial science laboratories. NASA and its partners 
would use many of the basic principles that biological laboratories use 
today to contain, handle, and study materials that are known or 
suspected to be dangerous.
    Due to the large scope of the MSR Campaign and uncertainty 
regarding the timing, location, and environmental impacts of actions 
associated with the ground elements, the NEPA analysis will be 
conducted in two ``tiers'' (or phases). This approach is endorsed under 
both 40 CFR 1501.11 and 14 CFR 1216.307. Tier I, the focus of the PEIS, 
will programmatically address the potential impacts associated with the 
potential for multiple Lander launches (with the potential for RHUs to 
be incorporated into the Landers' design architecture) from either 
Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, 
launch of the Orbiter from French Guiana, and return of the Orbiter and 
EES to include initial recovery, containment, and handling of the 
samples once they reach the Earth's surface (i.e., at the UTTR landing 
site). Currently, definitive mission-related requirements associated 
with MSR Campaign ground elements for sample transportation and a SRF 
are still in the early planning stages of development, but each will be 
described to the maximum extent practicable in the PEIS. These aspects 
will be addressed programmatically in the Tier I PEIS, to the extent 
that information is available, and will be analyzed in more specific 
detail in subsequent Tier II NEPA analysis once this information is 
available. The Tier I analysis will also address the site-specific 
proposal to land the vehicle containing the samples (the EES) at the 
UTTR.

Joel Carney,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Strategic Infrastructure.
[FR Doc. 2022-08088 Filed 4-14-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7510-13-P


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