posted 03-07-2025 01:58 PM               

Moon mascot wanted! Your idea could fly as NASA's Artemis II zero-g indicator

The first astronauts preparing to fly to the moon in more than 50 years want your help identifying their fifth crew member — their "moon mascot."

NASA's Artemis II crew is seeking an original idea for their zero-g indicator (ZGI), a stuffed toy or doll that will be suspended from a tether in their Orion spacecraft to signal when they enter the microgravity environment of space. The Artemis II mission, which is targeted to launch no sooner than late 2026, will swing the crew around the moon and then return them to Earth.

posted 04-03-2025 07:55 AM               

Have you designed your Moon Mascot yet?

Join the challenge to design the zero gravity indicator that will float inside of NASA's Orion Spacecraft during Artemis II. This small plushie needs to be small, lightweight, and meaningful to the mission.

Learn more during our upcoming webinar on Tuesday, Apr. 8, at 12 p.m. EDT.

posted 05-12-2025 02:38 PM               

NASA Goes Live on Twitch: Design Artemis II Moon Mascot

NASA will host a live Twitch event to highlight the ongoing Moon Mascot Challenge, which invites the public to design a zero gravity indicator for the agency's Artemis II crewed test flight around the Moon. Viewers will have the opportunity to provide real-time input to an artist who will create an example of a zero gravity indicator during the livestream.

Zero gravity indicators are small, plush items carried aboard spacecraft to provide a visual indication of when the crew reaches space.

The event will begin at 3 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 13, on the agency's official Twitch channel.

The contest invites global creators of all ages to submit design ideas for a zero gravity indicator that will fly aboard the agency's Artemis II test flight, the first crewed mission under NASA's Artemis campaign.

Up to 25 finalists, including entries from a K-12 student division, will be selected. The Artemis II crew will choose one design that NASA's Thermal Blanket Lab will fabricate to fly alongside the crew in the Orion spacecraft.

During this Twitch event, NASA experts will discuss the Moon Mascot Challenge while the artist incorporates live audience feedback into a sample design. Although the design example will not be eligible for the contest, it will demonstrate how challenge participants can develop their own zero gravity indicator designs. The example will be shared on the NASA Artemis social media accounts following the Twitch event.

The Artemis II test flight will take NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back. The mission is another step toward missions on the lunar surface to help the agency prepare for future human missions to Mars.

posted 05-26-2025 08:30 AM               

Challenge Deadline Extended

The challenge deadline has been extended to June 16, 2025 at 5 p.m. EDT. This gives you some extra time to finalize and submit your designs!