diff --git a/src/launching.rs b/src/launching.rs
index 046a010..6e14adb 100644
--- a/src/launching.rs
+++ b/src/launching.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ use bevy::input::common_conditions::{input_just_pressed, input_just_released};
 use bevy::prelude::*;
 use bevy::window::PrimaryWindow;
 use bevy::input::touch::{TouchInput, TouchPhase};
+use crate::satellite_names_advanced::{SatelliteSpawnStats, codename_for_satellite, SatelliteLabel, LabelFade};
 
 #[derive(Component)]
 pub struct LaunchPad;
@@ -99,6 +100,7 @@ fn start_new_launch(
     mut score: ResMut<Score>,
     satellite_price_factor: Res<SatellitePriceFactor>,
     current_marked: Query<Entity, With<NavigationInstruments>>,
+    mut spawn_stats: ResMut<SatelliteSpawnStats>,
 ) {
 
     let Some(launch_pad_transform) = launch_pad_query.iter().next() else { return; };
@@ -146,6 +148,21 @@ fn start_new_launch(
     } else {
         return;
     }
+    
+    // Update spawn statistics
+    spawn_stats.global_spawn_idx = spawn_stats.global_spawn_idx.wrapping_add(1);
+    let level_key = lvl as u32;
+    let level_counter = spawn_stats.per_level_spawn_idx.entry(level_key).or_insert(0);
+    *level_counter = level_counter.saturating_add(1);
+    
+    // Determine codename
+    let maybe_codename = codename_for_satellite(
+        lvl,
+        *level_counter,
+        spawn_stats.global_spawn_idx,
+        &mut spawn_stats,
+    );
+    
     // Ensure only the newly launched satellite will be selected
     for e in current_marked.iter() {
         commands.entity(e).remove::<NavigationInstruments>();
@@ -200,6 +217,30 @@ let collector_id = commands.spawn((
         Visibility::Visible,
         Pickable::IGNORE,
     ));
+    
+    // Spawn label with fade-in animation if satellite has a codename
+    if let Some(codename) = maybe_codename {
+        commands.spawn((
+            Text2d::new(codename),
+            Transform::default()
+                .with_translation(Vec3::new(0.0, -800.0, 1.0))
+                .with_scale(Vec3::splat(10.0)),
+            TextFont {
+                font: solar_system_assets.font.clone(),
+                font_size: 18.0,
+                ..default()
+            },
+            TextColor(Color::srgba(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.0)), // Start transparent
+            ChildOf(collector_id),
+            SatelliteLabel,
+            LabelFade {
+                elapsed: 0.0,
+                duration: 0.5,
+                fade_in: true,
+            },
+            Pickable::IGNORE,
+        ));
+    }
 
     launch_state.launched_at_time = None;
 }
@@ -246,7 +287,8 @@ fn start_launch_from_touch_end(
     mut score: ResMut<Score>,
     current_marked: Query<Entity, With<NavigationInstruments>>,
     time: Res<Time>,
-    price: Res<SatellitePriceFactor>
+    price: Res<SatellitePriceFactor>,
+    mut spawn_stats: ResMut<SatelliteSpawnStats>,
 ) {
     let Some(launch_pad_transform) = launch_pad_query.iter().next() else { return; };
     let launch_position = launch_pad_transform.translation;
@@ -295,6 +337,21 @@ fn start_launch_from_touch_end(
     } else {
         return;
     }
+    
+    // Update spawn statistics
+    spawn_stats.global_spawn_idx = spawn_stats.global_spawn_idx.wrapping_add(1);
+    let level_key = lvl as u32;
+    let level_counter = spawn_stats.per_level_spawn_idx.entry(level_key).or_insert(0);
+    *level_counter = level_counter.saturating_add(1);
+    
+    // Determine codename
+    let maybe_codename = codename_for_satellite(
+        lvl,
+        *level_counter,
+        spawn_stats.global_spawn_idx,
+        &mut spawn_stats,
+    );
+    
     // Ensure only the newly launched satellite will be selected
     for e in current_marked.iter() {
         commands.entity(e).remove::<NavigationInstruments>();
@@ -349,6 +406,30 @@ fn start_launch_from_touch_end(
         Visibility::Visible,
         Pickable::IGNORE,
     ));
+    
+    // Spawn label with fade-in animation if satellite has a codename
+    if let Some(codename) = maybe_codename {
+        commands.spawn((
+            Text2d::new(codename),
+            Transform::default()
+                .with_translation(Vec3::new(0.0, -800.0, 1.0))
+                .with_scale(Vec3::splat(10.0)),
+            TextFont {
+                font: solar_system_assets.font.clone(),
+                font_size: 18.0,
+                ..default()
+            },
+            TextColor(Color::srgba(1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.0)), // Start transparent
+            ChildOf(collector_id),
+            SatelliteLabel,
+            LabelFade {
+                elapsed: 0.0,
+                duration: 0.5,
+                fade_in: true,
+            },
+            Pickable::IGNORE,
+        ));
+    }
 
     // disarm after launch
     launch_armed.0 = false;
@@ -528,5 +609,4 @@ fn sun_thruster_touch(
             _ => {}
         }
     }
-}
-
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 6620dc0..68a1d02 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ mod sound;
 mod trails;
 mod effects;
 mod achievements;
+mod satellite_names_advanced;
 
 use std::ops::{Deref, DerefMut};
 use crate::screens::Screen;
@@ -78,6 +79,7 @@ impl Plugin for AppPlugin {
             sound::SoundPlugin,
             trails::TrailsPlugin,
             achievements::AchievementsPlugin,
+            satellite_names_advanced::plugin,
         ));
         // Tell bevy that our AppSystems should always be executed in the below order
         app.configure_sets(
@@ -154,4 +156,4 @@ impl DerefMut for RandomSource {
     fn deref_mut(&mut self) -> &mut Self::Target {
         &mut self.0
     }
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/satellite_names_advanced.rs b/src/satellite_names_advanced.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1731fd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/satellite_names_advanced.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+use bevy::prelude::*;
+use crate::GameplaySystem;
+use crate::sun_system::{Satellite, Level};
+use crate::screens::gameplay::CameraZoom;
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+
+#[derive(Component)]
+pub struct SatelliteLabel;
+
+#[derive(Component)]
+pub struct LabelFade {
+    pub elapsed: f32,
+    pub duration: f32,
+    pub fade_in: bool,
+}
+
+#[derive(Default, Resource)]
+pub struct SatelliteSpawnStats {
+    pub global_spawn_idx: u64,
+    pub per_level_spawn_idx: HashMap<u32, u32>,
+    pub japanese_name_cursor: usize,
+}
+
+#[derive(Resource)]
+struct LabelPool {
+    available: Vec<Entity>,
+    in_use: HashMap<Entity, Entity>, // satellite -> label
+}
+
+impl Default for LabelPool {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            available: Vec::new(),
+            in_use: HashMap::new(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+// Fixed codenames for the first satellite per level
+fn first_of_level_codename(level: f32) -> Option<&'static str> {
+    match level as i32 {
+        1 => Some("tiny-1"),
+        2 => Some("traily"),
+        3 => Some("boinc"),
+        _ => None,
+    }
+}
+
+// Japanese codenames (using romaji for ASCII compatibility)
+static JAPANESE_CODENAMES: &[&str] = &[
+    "Sakura", "Kitsune", "Kumo", "Hoshi", "Tsuki",
+    "Hikari", "Yami", "Kaze", "Mizu", "Inazuma",
+    "Tora", "Ryuu", "Kaguya", "Akari", "Kuro",
+];
+
+fn next_japanese_codename(stats: &mut SatelliteSpawnStats) -> &'static str {
+    let name = JAPANESE_CODENAMES[stats.japanese_name_cursor % JAPANESE_CODENAMES.len()];
+    stats.japanese_name_cursor = stats.japanese_name_cursor.wrapping_add(1);
+    name
+}
+
+pub fn codename_for_satellite(
+    level: f32,
+    level_spawn_idx: u32,
+    global_spawn_idx: u64,
+    stats: &mut SatelliteSpawnStats,
+) -> Option<String> {
+    if level_spawn_idx == 1 {
+        return first_of_level_codename(level).map(|s| s.to_string());
+    }
+    if global_spawn_idx % 10 == 0 {
+        return Some(next_japanese_codename(stats).to_string());
+    }
+    None
+}
+
+pub fn plugin(app: &mut App) {
+    app.init_resource::<SatelliteSpawnStats>();
+    app.init_resource::<LabelPool>();
+    app.add_systems(Update, (
+        update_label_visibility,
+        animate_label_fade,
+        cleanup_orphaned_labels,
+    ).in_set(GameplaySystem));
+}
+
+fn update_label_visibility(
+    camera_query: Query<&CameraZoom>,
+    mut label_query: Query<&mut Visibility, With<SatelliteLabel>>,
+) {
+    let Ok(zoom) = camera_query.single() else { return; };
+    // Only show labels when zoomed in (level 0-2 out of 0-4)
+    let show_labels = zoom.level <= 2;
+    
+    for mut visibility in label_query.iter_mut() {
+        *visibility = if show_labels {
+            Visibility::Inherited
+        } else {
+            Visibility::Hidden
+        };
+    }
+}
+
+fn animate_label_fade(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    mut query: Query<(Entity, &mut LabelFade, &mut TextColor)>,
+    time: Res<Time>,
+) {
+    for (entity, mut fade, mut color) in query.iter_mut() {
+        fade.elapsed += time.delta_secs();
+        let t = (fade.elapsed / fade.duration).clamp(0.0, 1.0);
+        
+        let alpha = if fade.fade_in { t } else { 1.0 - t };
+        color.0 = color.0.with_alpha(alpha * 0.9);
+        
+        if fade.elapsed >= fade.duration {
+            commands.entity(entity).remove::<LabelFade>();
+            
+            // If fading out, hide the label
+            if !fade.fade_in {
+                commands.entity(entity).insert(Visibility::Hidden);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+fn cleanup_orphaned_labels(
+    mut commands: Commands,
+    label_query: Query<(Entity, &Parent), With<SatelliteLabel>>,
+    satellite_query: Query<(), With<Satellite>>,
+) {
+    for (label_entity, parent) in label_query.iter() {
+        // Check if parent satellite still exists
+        if satellite_query.get(parent.get()).is_err() {
+            // Parent satellite was destroyed, despawn label
+            commands.entity(label_entity).despawn();
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file