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NEPA – Mars Sample Return Campaign

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 intends to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) to identify and analyze potential environmental impacts of the Mars Sample Return (MSR) Campaign Proposed Action and No Action Alternative. Cooperating agencies for this effort include the U.S. Air Force (in accordance with their 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.

Proposed Action Overview

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, regolith1, 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 MSR Campaign spans five elements; three flight elements and two Earth-based ground elements.

Flight Elements

  1. Sample Caching Rover: Perseverance Rover (Mars 2020)
  2. Sample Retrieval Lander and its subcomponents (the “Lander”)
  3. Earth Return Orbiter (the “Orbiter”), with its subcomponents and recovery of the Earth Entry System (EES) for temporary storage for preparation of ground elements.

​Ground Elements

  1. Sample Transportation
  2. Sample Receiving Facility (SRF)

The flight elements are associated with retrieving the samples on Mars, launching them into Mars orbit, capturing the samples in orbit, and returning them to Earth for study. 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 U.S. Air Force. The ground elements are associated with sample transportation (utilizing over-the-road and/or aircraft to transport the samples off the UTTR) and sample management/research involving the development and operation of a Sample Receiving Facility (SRF). The MSR Campaign elements are illustrated in Figure 1. Additional information about the MSR Campaign may be found on the MSR Campaign Website. 

1Regolith is a region of loose, unconsolidated rock and dust that sits atop a layer of bedrock.

Figure 1 – MSR Campaign Elements

NEPA Approach

The PEIS will provide information related to the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed return of Mars samples to Earth for scientific analysis. 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 will programmatically and site-specifically analyze the potential impacts associated with the MSR Campaign flight elements, specifically:

  1. Launch of the Lander from either Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida
  2. Launch of the Orbiter from French Guiana, and
  3. Return of the Orbiter to include initial recovery, containment, and handling of the samples once they reach the Earth’s surface (i.e., at the UTTR landing site).

Tier I will also programmatically analyze the potential impacts associated with the MSR Campaign ground elements for sample transportation and SRF. Currently, definitive mission-related requirements associated with the ground elements are still in the early planning stages of development, but each will be described to the maximum extent that information is available.

Tier II will site-specifically analyze the potential impacts associated with the MSR Campaign ground elements, specifically:

  1. Sample transportation off UTTR to the SRF, and
  2. Sample management/research involving the development and operation of an SRF.

Tier II will begin after a Record of Decision has been made for the Tier I PEIS.

NEPA Milestones

November 16, 2023 – NASA published the Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Mars Sample Return (MSR) Campaign Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) – Tier I. The ROD was issued by NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Associate Administrator, on November 3, 2023. The links to the Federal Register NOA Publication and ROD are listed below:

June 2, 2023 – NASA published the NOA for the Final PEIS for the MSR Campaign. The links to the Federal Register NASA and EPA NOA Publications and Final MSR PEIS are listed below.

November 4, 2022 –NASA published the NOA for the Draft PEIS for the MSR Campaign. The links to the Federal Register NASA and EPA NOA Publications and Draft MSR PEIS are listed below.

April 15, 2022 – NASA published the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a PEIS to identify and analyze potential environmental impacts of the MSR Campaign. The Tier I PEIS will programmatically analyze the flight and ground elements as well as site-specifically analyze the flight elements of the campaign. The Federal Register publication of the NOI is listed below.

Public Meetings

NASA hosted four public meetings to further inform the public on the proposed action and solicit comments on the Draft PEIS; two  “virtual” and two in-person meetings in Utah. The two “virtual” public meetings were accessible without geographic limitation via a WebEx online link and audio-only call-in telephone number. No advance registration to attend the meetings or provide a comment was required. The public meeting schedule and with links to the virtual meeting recordings are available below:

Virtual Meeting Agenda

  1. Welcome Message
  2. NASA Presentation (15-minutes)
    • Purpose of the Public Meetings
    • MSR Campaign PEIS Project Schedule
    • Opportunities for Public Involvement
    • Proposed Action and Alternatives Summary
    • Discussion of Potential Environmental Impacts from Proposed Action
    • Overview of Programmatic NEPA Approach
  3. Official Public Comment Submittal (1-hour)
    • Members of the public may provide up to a three-minute comment.

In-Person Meeting Agenda

  1. Welcome Message
  2. NASA Presentation (15-minutes)
    • Purpose of the Public Meetings
    • MSR Campaign PEIS Project Schedule
    • Opportunities for Public Involvement
    • Proposed Action and Alternatives Summary
    • Discussion of Potential Environmental Impacts from Proposed Action
    • Overview of Programmatic NEPA Approach
  3. Open House Session (45-minutes)
    • Subject matter experts will be available onsite to answer questions from the public on a one-on-one basis and to discuss posters and distribute other materials (e.g., fact sheets, comment forms) related to the Draft PEIS and MSR Campaign.
  4. Official Public Comment Submittal (1-hour)
    • Members of the public may provide up to a three-minute comment.

The public meetings, both in-person and virtual, may end later than the stated time depending on the number of persons who wish to submit a comment. To allow everyone a chance to speak at the public meetings, NASA may extend the meeting hours. When providing a verbal comment, 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.

If you plan to attend one of the public meetings and need special assistance such as sign language interpretation, non-English language translator services, or other reasonable accommodation, please send notification to Steve Slaten, MSR PEIS Project Manager, by November 23, 2022. Please include your contact information as well as information about your specific needs.

Contact Information to Request Special Assistance

Request for Comments

NASA encourages all interested parties to provide comments concerning the content and analysis presented in the Draft PEIS. In addition to, or in place of, attending one of the public meetings, you have the opportunity to submit comments directly to the project docket (Docket ID: NASA-2022-0002) at Regulations.gov or by mail during the public comment period: November 4 – December 19, 2022. To be considered in the Final PEIS, all comments must be postmarked or received online by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) (9:59 p.m. Mountain Standard Time [MST]) on December 19, 2022.

Comments must be identified with Docket ID: NASA-2022-0002 and may be sent to NASA as follows:

  • 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.
  • By mail: Send to Steve Slaten, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, M/S: 180-801, Pasadena, California 91109-8099.

NASA encourages you to submit comments electronically to the project docket through 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 the project docket. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail 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 request your personal identifying information to be withheld from public review in your comment, NASA cannot guarantee that they will be able to do so. You may wish to read the Privacy and Use Notice that is available on Regulations.gov. You may view project docket submissions electronically on Regulations.gov.

For questions related to viewing the Docket, please call the Regulations.gov Help Desk at telephone: 1-877-378-5457 (toll free) or 703-454-9859.

Virtual Public Scoping Meetings with Virtual Open House and Q&A Session

NASA held two virtual public meetings to solicit comments regarding the Proposed Action and the environmental issues that NASA should consider in the PEIS. The recordings of both meetings are linked below.

Virtual Scoping Meetings

May 4, 2022, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. (Mountain) 

May 5, 2022, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. (Mountain) 

Virtual Scoping Meeting Agenda

  1. Welcome Message
  2. NASA NEPA Project Overview Presentation (10-minutes)
  3. NASA MSR Campaign Technical Presentation (30-minutes)
  4. Virtual Open House & Question and Answer Session (30-minutes)
    • Meeting participants can ask questions of the panel presenters.
  5. Official Scoping Comment Session (45-minutes)
    • Meeting participants may provide up to a three-minute verbal comment or written comment via WebEx online chat on the scope and significance of the issues related to the proposed MSR Campaign that should be addressed in the PEIS.

Further Information