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Second-Grader's Mascot Soars on Artemis II Lunar Mission
3 Apr
Summary
- An 8-year-old's zero-gravity indicator is on NASA's Artemis II mission.
- Lucas Ye's smiley-faced plush toy 'Rise' won a global competition.
- The mission aims to travel farther than any humans in history.
A zero-gravity indicator designed by an eight-year-old from California is currently traveling to space aboard NASA's Artemis II mission. Lucas Ye's creation, a smiley-faced plush toy named Rise, will serve as an indicator of weightlessness for the astronauts. This mission, NASA's first crewed lunar endeavor in nearly 54 years, launched recently. Lucas's design, featuring a baseball cap and Earth-like crown, was chosen from over 2,600 global submissions in a competition. The name 'Rise' is an homage to the iconic Earthrise photograph.
The Artemis II mission is poised to break records, with the crew expected to journey farther from Earth than any humans in history over its 10-day duration. This expedition includes Christina Koch, the first woman, and Victor Glover, the first person of color, to fly between Earth's orbit and the moon. The data gathered from this journey will be crucial for the Artemis IV mission, scheduled for 2028, aiming to land humans back on the lunar surface. The mission began with the rocket's successful launch, entering space and achieving weightlessness.
