FAQs
Q1. I was selected as a Hayabusa Investigator in the previous international AO(s). Can
I submit a proposal for the present international AO?
A1. Yes, you can. For you to have samples allocated for the present AO, however, yourproposal has to be selected in the review process, first of all, and then, all alreadyallocated samples must be returned before the Curator will distribute new samples.
Q2. When will I know the result for my proposal submitted to the AO?
A2. For around a month after you submitted a proposal.
Q3. When will sample allocation process start?
A3. A PI of a selected proposal will become a Hayabusa Investigator when sample
allocation is completed. Normally, selected PIs will receive samples distributed from
ASRG/JAXA for less than two months after he or she submitted the proposal. A
successful Hayabusa Investigator must be ready to receive the samples that he/sherequest around a month after he/she submitted the proposal. The preparation processincludes submission of a declaration form and a research plan by the Investigator tothe Curator.
Q4. Can the selected PIs receive samples as they requested in their proposals?
A4. Not necessarily the case. If there is another proposal which requires the same
sample as one’s proposal and is higher priority than it, one could only receive anothersample in one’s sample request list. Moreover, the Curator limits numbers of pristine
samples which can be distributed for the AO, thus it cannot distribute samples asrequested because of the limitation of sample distribution.
Q5. Should I prepare a container for sample allocation?
A5. The standard procedure is that JAXA will send samples in a sealed container
designed by JAXA. A Hayabusa Investigator who wants to use a special container
must explain to JAXA the reason why the sample transportation should be done in adifferent way and send the container to JAXA as soon as he/she will receive anapproval e-mail from the Curator.

JAXA will decide the sample transportation1

procedure based on the researcher’s request and the cleanliness level of the container.
Please note that the Curator is responsible for reducing the risk of unnecessary
contamination. If a special container does not reach JAXA for more than two weeks
after the Curator send the approval e-mail, JAXA will use the JAXA container.
Q6. Will I own distributed samples?
A6. Definitely NO. Samples belong to JAXA. Allocated sample must be returned to theCurator as soon as the proposed investigation is completed. Exceptions are thoseinvestigations that consume samples, but this fact needs to be mentioned clearly inthe proposal.
Q7. Some samples are embedded in epoxy resin in the course of Preliminary
Examinations. Will JAXA extract a sample from its resin?
A7. No, JAXA does not have any technique to extract the samples from epoxy resin.
Q8. What kind of epoxy resin has been used for embedding the samples during
Preliminary Examinations?
A8. The epoxy resin was EM bed 812® made by Electron Microscopy Sciences in theUSA, which is almost identical to Epon 812® made by Shell Chemical, USA. It is a
mixture of three liquids; EMbed (Cat. #14900), NADIC (Cat. #19000), and DMP-30(Cat. #13600) in a volume mixing ratio of 200 : 175 : 2.
Q9. What must successful Hayabusa Investigators submit to JAXA?
A9. A summary sheet describing the essential minimum information of analyticalresults needs to be submitted to the Curator immediately after completion of theanalyses. At the same time, all distributed samples need to be returned to JAXA
(expect for cases of fully destructive analyses). The sheet will not be made public
until a relevant paper is published. Hayabusa Investigators are highly encouraged
to present their results at the Hayabusa Sample Science Meeting which is usually
held in every December.
Q10. Can I publish a paper on analysis results?
A10. Yes, you are highly encouraged to do so. There are only two rules that an2

Investigator must follow in publication: (1) To add the following sentence to theacknowledgement part of the paper; “The Hayabusa-returned samples XXXX (sampleID) were allocated by the Planetary Material Sample Curation Facility of JAXA
through the XXth International Announcement of Opportunity held in 20XX”. (2) To
report to the Curator of the publication.

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