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We invite people from all over the world to name the asteroid (provisional designation "1999 JU3"), which is the destination of the Asteroid Explorer "Hayabusa2."

The "Hayabusa2" is currently flying smoothly. It is scheduled to arrive at the destination asteroid in around June or July, 2018, and will return to the Earth in 2020 after a short "stay" at the asteroid. During the stay, Hayabusa2 will conduct a variety of unique operations such as remote observations, dropping surface rovers, touching down for a sample collection and creating a crater.

The unexplored celestial body, so far observed only as a "light point" from Earth-based telescopes, will be unveiled up to the micron level for the first time in the world by the starship Hayabusa2.

We are hoping to contribute to deepen human knowledge about the origin of life and the solar system through studying the "1999 JU3."

Once it has been named, the operation team, scientists and people all over the world will call it by that name.

We are waiting for your applications to name this previously unexplored asteroid where "Hayabusa2" will visit.


July 22, 2015

Yuichi Tsuda
Project manager of the"Hayabusa2"