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Planetary Protection Authority
UnionPlanetary Protection AuthorityReturn Samples

BIO / PUBLIC SERVICE NETWORK

Return Samples

Return Samples brings together containment facilities, sample chain of custody and release assessment.

BIOauthorityUnion-wide competence

The public purpose

Return Samples brings together containment facilities, sample chain of custody and release assessment.

Operational teams

BIO.02.01
Containment facilities

Assess a containment facility for the actual material and analyses it proposes to receive.

BIO.02.02
Sample chain of custody

Preserve sample identity, conditions and accepted custodians through each transfer.

BIO.02.03
Release assessment

Determine whether a controlled material may leave containment for a stated supported purpose.

Programme responsibilities

Assessment evidence
Containment facility certificate; Protected sample custody chain; Sample release assessment
Accountable output
Return Samples integrated programme finding
Programme custodian
Return Samples
Independent review
Union Ombudsman

Requests and referrals

SVC-034
Access an ocean-world research site

A site-specific protection clearance or refusal.

SVC-035
Return a extraterrestrial sample

A contained return-sample review with custody requirements.

INT-002
Transfer protected research custody

A dual-custodian research transfer with stop authority.

Return Samples / division of work

BIO.02.01

Containment facilities

Assess a containment facility for the actual material and analyses it proposes to receive.

Accountable output
Containment facility certificate
BIO.02.02

Sample chain of custody

Preserve sample identity, conditions and accepted custodians through each transfer.

Accountable output
Protected sample custody chain
BIO.02.03

Release assessment

Determine whether a controlled material may leave containment for a stated supported purpose.

Accountable output
Sample release assessment

Authority for return samples integrated programme finding

Subject-specific assessment
A laboratory accepts a sample class outside its evaluated containment
Shared legal framework
Planetary Protection Authority / powers
Handling complaint
Union Ombudsman
Contested legal finding
Union Court of Justice

Choose your route

Office output: Return Samples integrated programme finding