Advanced Communications Project: Shipboard Communications Center Intelligent Gateway Demonstration Report.

摘要

The Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984 (Public Law 98-575), as amended, (CSLA), declares that the development of commercial launch vehicles and associated services is in the national and economic interest of the United States. To ensure that launch services provided by private enterprises are consistent with national security and foreign policy interests of the U.S., and do not jeopardize public health and safety and safety of property, the Department of Transportation (DOT) is authorized to regulate and license commercial space launch operations. Within DOT, the Secretary's authority under the CSLA has been delegated to the Office of Commercial Space Transportation (OCST). This authority extends to the licensing of commercial reentry vehicles (RVs) launched from space to Earth. OCST's licensing process is considered to be a major Federal action subject to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. Potential impacts from commercial expendable launch vehicle (ELV) launches (from Earth to space) have been evaluated in the DOT's Programmatic Environmental Assessment of Commercial Expendable Launch Vehicle Programs (February 1986). This Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) evaluates, on a generic basis, the impacts from the reentry from space of commercial RVs. The alternative to licensing commercial RVs is for OCST not to license or authorize RV operations, i.e., a no-action alternative. This alternative is also evaluated in this EIS.