Em 1994, a International Astronomical Union (IAU) aprovou o batizado de um asteróide de 8 km de comprimento em homenagem ao Zappa. O objeto que passeia entre Marte e Júpiter ganhou o nome oficial de Zappafrank.

A iniciativa partiu do psiquiatra americano John Scialli que através da internet conseguiu juntar outros fãs para fazer o lobby e convencer a comunidade astronômica da relevãncia da homenagem:

Esse é o "certificado de registro" do asteróide Zappafrank.

M.P.C. 23697 1994 July 22

NEW NAMES OF MINOR PLANETS

(3834) Zappafrank = 1980 JE

Discovered 1980 May 11 by L. Brozek at Klet.
Named in memory of Frank Zappa (1940-1993), rock
musician and composer of innovative contemporary
symphonic, chamber and electronic music. Zappa was an
ecletic, self-trained artist and composer with incredible
energy and a biting wit and his music transcends the usual
music barriers. Before 1989 he was regarded as a symbol
of democracy and freedom by many people in
Czechoslovakia.