posted 06-15-2021 11:24 AM               

Bracket Contest to Help NASA Name 'Moonikin' Flying on Artemis I Mission Around Moon

Choose your player! NASA is holding a naming contest beginning Wednesday, June 16 for the manikin that will fly on an upcoming mission around the Moon.

As NASA gears up for the Artemis I mission around the Moon that will pave the way to send the first woman and the first person of color to the lunar surface, we have an important task for you (yes, you!). Artemis I will be an uncrewed flight test of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft ahead of the first flight with crew on Artemis II. We want your help to select a name for the suited manikin, or Moonikin in this case, that will fly aboard Orion to help gather data before missions with astronauts!

A manikin is an anatomical model that simulates the human body and is commonly used in training for emergency rescues, medical education, and research. The manikin on Artemis I will be equipped with two radiation sensors, and sensors in the seat – one under the headrest and another behind the seat – to record acceleration and vibration throughout the mission as Orion travels around the Moon and back to Earth. Data from these and other sensors inside the spacecraft will help NASA understand how to best protect crew members for Artemis II and beyond.

We have eight names to choose from, but only one can win. Every other day starting Wednesday, June 16, we will be asking social media users on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, to vote between one of two names. The winners of each bracket compete with one another until the final showdown on Monday, June 28.

The final name of the Moonikin will be announced on Tuesday, June 29!

These are the eight names in the running:

• ACE. Straightforward, practical. Stands for Artemis Crew Explorer.

• CAMPOS. Resourceful, problem-solver. A dedication to Arturo Campos, key player in bringing Apollo 13 home.

• DELOS. Nostalgic, romantic. The island where Apollo and Artemis were born, according to Greek myth.

• DUHART. Warm, welcoming. A dedication to Irene Duhart Long, chief medical officer at Kennedy Space Center.

• MONTGOMERY. Pioneer, innovative. A dedication to Julius Montgomery, first African American to work at the Cape Canaveral Space Facility as a technical professional.

• RIGEL. Bright, inspirational. The giant superstar in the Orion constellation.

• SHACKLETON. Secretive, abundant. A crater on the Moon's south pole and a reference to a famous Antarctic explorer.

• WARGO. Enthusiastic, passionate. A dedication to Michael Wargo, the agency's first Chief Exploration Scientist.

To learn more about each of the names in the contest, click here.

This Moonikin is a male-bodied manikin previously used in Orion vibration tests. He will be accompanied on Artemis I by two model human torsos, called phantoms, made from materials that mimic human bones, soft tissues, and organs of an adult female. Named Zohar and Helga, by the Israel Space Agency (ISA) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the phantoms will be supporting an investigation called the Matroshka AstroRad Radiation Experiment (MARE), which will provide data on radiation levels during missions to the Moon.

Want to participate in the naming contest? Make sure you are following @NASAArtemis on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to get notified about the bracket challenges between June 16 and June 28!

posted 06-18-2021 07:08 PM               

Earlier this week, many people on Twitter seemed stumped by a surprise exchange between the "Sex and the City" star and NASA following a tweet posted on June 14 by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announcing that when Artemis-1 rounds the moon later this year, it will be absent of astronauts. The lone passenger will be "a very important one" — a manikin.

The post prompted a tongue-in-cheek reply from a fan account dedicated to Star Trek and The Orville that linked “manikin” to the 1987 comedy starring Cattrall opposite Andrew McCarthy about a department store mannequin that comes to life.

"Breaking news!" posted @startrekeire a day later. "Kim Cattrall has been chosen to fly aboard NASA's Artemis-1 mission which flies around the moon later this year. Congrats Kim, wishing you good vibrations!" The amusing exchange could have been another LOL moment that quietly quickly if it weren't for Cattrall who responded with an image of her in a NASA spacesuit, reporting for duty.

Cattrall's post caused many to jump to the conclusion that it was an official confirmation of an impending trip to outer space with several prominent Twitter influencers posting about it as breaking news. NASA continued the mannequin joke, responding to Cattrall's image, "That's one giant leap for manne-kind."

The Hollywood Reporter can confirm that while Cattrall is not replacing the mannequin on Artemis-1, she has some of the skills required for an outer space adventure thanks to a trip to NASA’s Space Camp in 2013.

posted 06-29-2021 07:00 PM               

'Moonikin' flying on NASA's Artemis I named for Apollo 13 engineer

The public has voted to honor an Apollo 13 engineer on board NASA's first mission to fly to the moon and back in more than 50 years.

More than 300,000 people participated in the online competitive bracket contest, which selected the official name for the manikin launching on NASA's Artemis I mission. The winning name memorializes one of the figures whose contributions were key in bringing home the Apollo 13 crew after they "had a problem" on the way to the moon.

"This contest, which is helping pave the way for a human return to the moon, also honors an important individual in our NASA family — Arturo Campos," said Brian Odom, acting chief historian at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.