Japan’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft is targeting a small near-Earth asteroid as part of its extended mission — and you could help name the space rock.
The asteroid, designated 2001 CC21, or 98943, is roughly 2,300 feet (700 meters) wide. The Hayabusa2 probe will fly by the asteroid at high speed in July 2026, if all goes according to plan. However, before the spacecraft greets our cosmic neighbor, it needs a better name.
That’s why the Japanese space agency, JAXA, is looking for help from the public to give the asteroid an official name. You can submit your name suggestions online through…
