The nickname (Japanese name) for the EarthCARE satellite after launch has been decided!

JAXA hopes that many people will become aware of the EarthCARE satellite and support it with a sense of familiarity, so we have come up with a nickname for the satellite to be used in Japan after it is launched by rocket. Its nickname is "Hakuryu." Please support the launch of the satellite so that Hakuryu can fly happily in space!

Why "Hakuryu"?

The name "Hakuryu" represents the distinctive external appearance of the EarthCARE satellite, which is that it is white and its solar array paddles look like a long tail. In Japan, dragons are considered divine beasts that govern water, which is a fitting image for the mission, which aims to elucidate the radiation balance mechanism in the Earth's atmosphere caused by the interaction between clouds formed by the gathering of water and ice particles and aerosols. Furthermore, white dragons are said to be able to fly faster than other dragons, which is why we thought it would fit the image of an artificial satellite orbiting the Earth at high speed, and therefore we chose the name Hakuryu.

Appearance of the EarthCARE satellite