§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have examined NASA's plan to send into space in 1997 a probe, Cassini, powered by 32 kilograms of plutonium and whether they have formed any views on the safety of this project.
The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Earl Ferrers)The US National Aerospace and Space Administration (NASA) has issued a draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Cassini mission. In this document, NASA has estimated that the risks arising from any potential accidents during the Cassini mission are small and are less than many risks faced by the public from the construction and/or operation of large industrial projects.
Her Majesty's Government have obtained expert advice on NASA's draft Environmental Impact Statement. This confirms that the risk to an individual member of the public is minimal.