Meet Rise, the beloved Artemis II mascot that traveled to the moon and back
The Artemis II crew made it safely back to Earth on Friday after traveling around the moon for 10 days.
Joining them during splashdown was a stuffed animal named Rise, which has become a viral sensation during this historic mission.
Rise serves as both the crew’s moon mascot and a zero-gravity indicator, which is a soft object used to signal when astronauts have reached weightlessness.
According to NASA, it is not a scientific instrument, but a safe and simple visual cue for the crew.
This isn’t the first time a NASA crew has flown with a mascot. Similar plush toys have appeared on SpaceX missions, the Manned Flight Awareness program, and Artemis I, including Shaun the Sheep, Snoopy and Baby Yoda.
ARTEMIS II BRINGS PIECES OF THE PAST ON ITS HISTORIC DEEP SPACE VOYAGE
Before the mission, the Artemis II crew wanted a one-of-a-kind mascot to boost morale. They invited people around the world to submit design ideas, receiving more than 2,600 entries.
The winning design, "Rise," is a round stuffed animal wearing an Earth-printed hat which was created by third-grader Lucas Ye from California.
The design was inspired by the famous Earthrise photo taken during Apollo 8, a meaningful reference to the Artemis II crew.
"Rise" was brought to life at the Thermal Blanket Lab at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, where specialists created a version that meets strict safety standards.
The mascot also carries a special payload: an SD card containing 5,647,889 names submitted through NASA’s "Send Your Name with Artemis" campaign.
Due to its popularity, NASA is now working to develop and sell a plush version of "Rise."
However, the public will need to wait a bit longer before it becomes available.
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