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Management of Commercially Generated Radioactive Waste - U.S. ...

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6.151<br />

* Public Sector.Economy. Current estimates <strong>of</strong> launch rates suggest that support <strong>of</strong> the<br />

entire space transportation system for the space disposal activity might require 25,000<br />

to 75,000 employees. This work force represents a substantial payroll and a large<br />

number <strong>of</strong> households throughout the country that would constitute sizable demands for<br />

goods and services. The environmental impact statement for the Space Shuttle (NASA<br />

1978) provides insight as to where money would be spent.<br />

* Private Sector Economy. In addition to direct employment, the space disposal option<br />

would induce secondary employment, as well as major capital investment. This additional<br />

economic activity would, in turn, generate additional demands for goods and services.<br />

* Population Size and Growth Rate/Population Composition. The size and geographic<br />

distribution <strong>of</strong> the work force levels would affect the magnitude and location <strong>of</strong> the<br />

socioeconomic impacts. The ability <strong>of</strong> local areas to meet such demands will affect the<br />

severity with which these impacts are perceived. Greater project definition and detail<br />

are necessary before these impacts can be accurately assessed.<br />

Aesthetic Impacts<br />

Aesthetic impacts for those aspects <strong>of</strong> the program unique to space disposal would be<br />

generally limited to noise and visual features.<br />

Noise. Only the Orbiter reentry would produce sonic boom over populated areas. Ex-<br />

tensive studies <strong>of</strong> sonic boom dynamics indicate that the maximum effects would be at the<br />

nuisance or annoyance level (NASA 1978).<br />

Appearance. Visual effects are expected to be significant because <strong>of</strong> the eight-story<br />

preparation facility and a 100-m stack for the reprocessing facility. Of course, actual site<br />

selection could have a mitigating effect on these impacts (Bechtel 1979a).<br />

Resource Consumption<br />

Launches <strong>of</strong> space vehicles always commit certain resources that are never recovered.<br />

Energy. Estimated total energy requirements for the space disposal program (construc-<br />

tion plus 40-year operation), which are considered significant, are summarized below (Bechtel<br />

1979a).<br />

Resource Amount<br />

Propane, m 3 1.0 x 107<br />

Diesel fuel, m 3 1.5 x 106<br />

Gasoline, m 3 1.3 x 105<br />

Electricity, kWhr 5.9 x 1010<br />

Propellants, MT<br />

Liquid hydrogen 2.7 x 105<br />

Liquid oxygen 3.7 x 106<br />

Rocket propellant 7.2 x 105<br />

Nitrogen tetroxide 2.4 x 10 4<br />

Monomethyl hydrazine 2.0 x 10 4

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