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Boy's Moon Toy Rockets to Space on Artemis II
2 Apr
Summary
- A young boy designed a moon toy named Rise for Artemis II.
- Rise is a custom design by 8-year-old Lucas Ye from California.
- The toy serves as a zero-gravity indicator for the mission.
As the Artemis II rocket begins its journey, a small, custom-designed toy named Rise will float in the Orion capsule, indicating the astronauts' entry into weightlessness. This unique zero-gravity indicator was created by 8-year-old Lucas Ye of Mountain View, California, who won a NASA-sponsored contest. His winning design features a smiling moon wearing a baseball cap, a tribute to the 'Earthrise' photograph.
The toy also incorporates symbols of space exploration, including representations of Apollo and Artemis spacecraft, and the Orion constellation. A footprint on its back commemorates Neil Armstrong's lunar landing. The tradition of zero-gravity indicators in spacecraft dates back to Yuri Gagarin's first spaceflight in 1961.
Lucas's design was chosen from thousands of entries submitted from over 50 countries. While an initial 'Star Wars'-themed idea was shelved due to intellectual property concerns, 'Rise' ultimately captured the imagination. A version of Rise for the Artemis II flight includes a compartment for a data chip bearing over 5.6 million names.
The Ye family has been invited by NASA to witness the launch in Florida. Lucas aspires to become a NASA engineer, potentially designing future Mars space stations. NASA currently holds the rights to the 'Rise' design and has no immediate plans for licensing.
