# Is "Itokawa" Japanese for "Space Turd"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-itokawa-japanese-for-space-turd/321461>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [September 13, 2005, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-itokawa-japanese-for-space-turd/321461 "2005-09-13T18:30:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-itokawa-japanese-for-space-turd/321461/1 "2005-09-13T18:30:36Z")

</div>

I was reading [this space.com article](http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/050912_hayabusa_update.html) about the Hayabusa space probe and noticed that the Itokawa asteroid looks an awful lot like a “floater”. Or is it just me?

Note that the “objective of the spacecraft is to sample the asteroid and then return those specimens back to Earth.” :eek:

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-itokawa-japanese-for-space-turd/321461/2 "2005-09-13T18:56:19Z")

</div>

That’s just God’s dick…

…but He has a hardon!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-itokawa-japanese-for-space-turd/321461/3 "2005-09-13T19:27:09Z")

</div>

Ass-turoid.

huh huh…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Pixisis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@Pixisis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixisis)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-itokawa-japanese-for-space-turd/321461/4 "2005-09-13T19:52:48Z")

</div>

> [@Lute Skywatcher](#):
>
> That’s just God’s dick…!

well, itsa space probe innit ? 😃

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-itokawa-japanese-for-space-turd/321461/5 "2005-09-13T21:09:35Z")

</div>

Man, we spend billions on space probes to asteroids and the Japanese do it with a [motorcycle…](http://www.moto-net.com/images/essais/suzuki_1300_hayabusa_3quarts.jpg)

(Itokawa was the father of the Japanes motorcy…er, rocket program.)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2005, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-itokawa-japanese-for-space-turd/321461/6 "2005-09-13T21:41:27Z")

</div>

> [@Duke of Rat](#):
>
> Man, we spend billions on space probes to asteroids and the Japanese do it with a [motorcycle…](http://www.moto-net.com/images/essais/suzuki_1300_hayabusa_3quarts.jpg)

Of course! Why do you think those are called “pocket rockets”? 😃