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!

posted 08-15-2025 02:38 PM               

Moon menagerie: NASA contest picks 25 finalists for Artemis II zero-g indicator

The first NASA crew to launch to the moon in more than 50 years will be joined by a polar bear or maybe a zebra, an octopus or perhaps even a "lunar crust-acean," as they are among the finalists in a global contest to design the astronauts' zero-gravity indicator.

One of the small dolls — which also includes a tribute to "Earthrise" and a plush representation of the Greek goddess Artemis, the namesake for NASA's new lunar program — will fulfill the purpose and tradition of flying a tethered toy as a visual signal that the crew are in the weightless environment of outer space. The zero-g indicator (ZGI) will begin floating aboard the mission's Orion spacecraft before the astronauts can unbuckle from their seats and do the same.

posted 08-16-2025 04:16 PM               

I was hoping mine would be chosen among the finalists, but it appears the judges were looking for something more "alive", or at the very least, something that had eyes.

My favorite among the finalists is "Rise", as you might expect given my own approach. It has all of the elements I was going for, but achieves them in a very whimsical way. The symbolism hits all the right notes, referencing the link between the past and present.

posted 08-16-2025 05:59 PM               

I also entered the contest with a design that tapped into space history and had a smiling face, but did not make the cut. I am debating whether to share it publicly or hold it back, less another opportunity present itself in the future.

My entry was actually my second idea: initially I was working on a concept that involved the three horses from the Apollo 13 patch, plus a fourth to represent the new mission. Artemis II may break the Apollo 13 distance record, so I was going to have the fourth horse pulling out ahead of the other three.

Then I read in the frequently asked questions that no NASA logos or patches, or components thereof, could be used. So I set that first idea aside.

posted 03-27-2026 02:17 PM               

'Rise'-up!: Artemis II astronauts pick plush moon as zero-g indicator

The four crew members who will soon fly by the moon on NASA's Artemis II mission are ready to "rise" to the historic challenge, with the help of the imagination of a third grade student.

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency, on Friday (March 27) revealed the zero-g indicator (ZGI) that will launch with them on their 10-day flight. "Rise," a plush doll of a smiling moon wearing an Earth-adorned baseball cap, will begin to float when the crew reaches orbit, signaling a successful start to their journey.

"We are holding our zero-g indicator, 'Rise,'" said Wiseman, Artemis II commander, after he and his crew arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of their launch.

posted 04-06-2026 05:41 PM               

Lucas Ye, designer of zero gravity indicator "Rise," and his family pose for a photo at the Banana Creek viewing site as the countdown progresses for the launch of the Artemis II mission, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

posted 04-12-2026 11:01 AM               

I was supposed to leave Rise in Integrity... but that was not something I was going to do. I stuffed that little guy in a dry bag we had in our survival kit and hooked the bag onto my pressure suit.

posted 04-13-2026 11:07 AM               

This is a Public Service Announcement!

NASA doesn't make merchandise, but we do work with many vendors to review and approve things. We've seen many requests for Artemis II items, including Rise plushies, and our team is currently in the review process.

Because production takes 60+ days, it will be a little while before they're ready! Keep an eye on NASA Exchange stores for authorized items that directly support our centers.