{{articledata.title}}

Cryptoprowl / Elon Musk, the chief executive of SpaceX, has officially designated a Shiba Inu astronaut character named Asteroid as the company's mascot, fulfilling the final wish of a 15-year-old girl who spent years battling a rare form of pediatric cancer.

Liv Perrotto, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, passed away on January 14, 2026, following a five-year fight with osteosarcoma. In 2024, her design of Asteroid, a plush Shiba Inu in a spacesuit, was selected as the zero-gravity indicator for the Polaris Dawn mission, the first all-civilian orbital flight to include a commercial spacewalk. During the mission, the toy floated inside the Crew Dragon capsule to signal weightlessness, with merchandise proceeds donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

The official designation followed a viral social media exchange on April 18, when Musk responded to a series of eight handwritten questions Perrotto had prepared for him before her death. Asked in the final question if Asteroid could become the official face of the aerospace firm, Musk replied in the affirmative, confirming that the character would be integrated into future SpaceX mission iconography.

The decision sparked an emotional reaction across the aerospace and technology sectors. Rebecca Perrotto, Liv's mother, expressed her gratitude in a public statement, noting that the recognition ensures her daughter's legacy will continue to reach the stars.

The announcement also triggered a speculative frenzy in digital asset markets. The Asteroid ($ASTEROID ) meme token, a digital asset inspired by the plush design, surged as much as 600% following Musk's confirmation, with its market capitalization briefly exceeding $160 million. While the token has no formal ties to SpaceX, the rally reflects the heightened sensitivity of retail investors to Musk's public endorsements.

SpaceX has not yet detailed how the mascot will be featured in upcoming launches, though it is expected to appear on mission patches and promotional materials.

Asteroid meme token is currently trading at $0.001066