PUBLIC COMMENTS DUE ON MARS NUCLEAR ROVERS

  PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY


Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Mars Science Laboratory Mission


NASA is inviting public comments on its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Mission, seeking input for plans for the robotic exploration of Mars.

NASA plans a sustained series of Mars missions every 26 months into the next decade. NASA proposes to use nuclear batteries to power land rovers to explore Mars and take soil and rock samples. They plan to establish mining colonies on Mars in years to come.

This is your chance to share you opinion with NASA. Comments must be sent to them by Monday, October 23. Comments may be sent via email to mep.nepa@hq.nasa.gov or by mail to:


Mark R. Dahl, Program Executive
Mars Exploration Program Office
Planetary Science Division
Mail Suite 3X63
NASA Headquarters
Washington, DC 20546-0001


Key Points:

- NASA and the Department of Energy have long records of accidents and toxic contamination, from radioactive spills at production facilities and from space launch explosions. Expanding space plutonium power systems will increase chances of environmental contamination from plutonium.

- Page 4-31 of the DEIS identifies Potential Land Decontamination Cost Factors. It examines the cost of decontaminating affected areas, including Mixed-Use Urban areas at $1.5 billion per mile. The “secondary societal costs” of an accident identified include relocation of residents; destruction or quarantine of agricultural products; land use restrictions; and restriction or bans on commercial fishing.

- Every expansion of the plutonium process, including research, development and transportation of this deadly material over thousands of miles, increases the risk of nuclear accidents or theft.

- Every effort made to improve the design of nuclear-powered batteries for use in space furthers the technological infrastructure for the development of nuclear powered space-based weapons.

- Plutonium production is expensive and diverts tax dollars from more important social concerns present in our society today.


The Draft Environmental Impact Statement is available in Acrobat format by clicking on the link in the headline above.