The Girl Who Named the Stars
Olivia "Liv" Perrotto was only ten years old when she was diagnosed with Undifferentiated Sarcoma in March 2021. For the next five years she fought with a courage that amazed everyone who knew her — a rocket scientist in training who drew anime worlds late into the night, volunteered at ultramarathons with her ultra-runner mom Rebecca, and found pure joy in her little sister Abby and her cats Mao Mao and Yuki. Even when treatments were hardest, Liv kept her eyes on the sky.
Then, in January 2022, something magical happened. The Polaris Dawn crew — led by Jared Isaacman and powered by SpaceX — invited Liv to design the mission's secret zero-gravity indicator: the plush toy that would only be revealed once the astronauts reached orbit. She had thirty minutes.
She picked up her pencil and drew a fluffy Shiba Inu astronaut, inspired directly by Elon Musk's beloved dog Floki. To Liv, Floki wasn't just a dog — he represented joy, curiosity, and the courage to explore unknown worlds. She imagined him suited up, ready to float among the stars just like the Polaris Dawn crew.
On that original drawing she wrote one word in her own hand — the name that would travel to space, raise millions for sick children, and now live forever on the blockchain:
Not "asteroid." Astroid. Written that way on purpose — twice, clearly, with joyful certainty.
Why "Astroid" was never a mistake.
In mathematics, an astroid is a four-cusped star curve — the exact diamond-star shape Liv's imagination brought to life. Look closely at the Polaris Dawn logo: the letter A is formed around a bright blue four-pointed star. That star is the mathematical astroid.
Her spelling and the mission's symbol were always meant to be together. The universe agreed.
While the world saw the toy floating weightless in zero gravity, Liv watched from Earth with eyes full of wonder. At her request, every replica sold raised millions of dollars for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital — helping other children fight the same battle she was fighting.
But Liv never stopped dreaming bigger. Even through the hardest treatments, she was still curious, still joyful, still reaching.
She loved anime, rhythm games, and finding magic in everyday moments. She called herself a rocket scientist in training. She was fearless, funny, and full of wonder — the same qualities she poured into Astroid the Space Shiba Inu.
As cancer returned for its final battle, her biggest remaining wish was simple and soaring: to make Astroid the official mascot of SpaceX.
She handwrote eight questions for Elon Musk on her favorite cat-decorated notepad. The eighth question — the one that mattered most — was exactly that request: "Can you make Astroid the mascot for SpaceX?"
Just days before she passed, Elon called. Too tired to speak, she asked him to call back later. The list still rests on her nightstand — a quiet testament to a fifteen-year-old who never stopped reaching for the stars.
Astroid Floki was born to keep that light burning. This project carries forward Liv's exact vision — her spelling Astroid, her Shiba Inu astronaut inspired by Floki's playful and fearless spirit, her Polaris Dawn star, and her dream that Astroid would one day watch over every SpaceX launch.
Join the Mission
Follow along for launch announcements and to be part of a community honoring Liv's legacy.