NASA’s Artemis II zero-g indicator lets you check gravity
▼ Summary
– Rise, the plush toy used as the Artemis II crew’s zero-g indicator, is now available for purchase as a NASA-approved collectible to benefit employee morale activities.
– The plush was designed by 9-year-old Lucas Ye, who won NASA and Freelancer.com’s “Moon Mascot” challenge, and is inspired by the “earthrise” photo from Apollo 8.
– Rise wears a cap depicting the Earth rising over the Moon, and its bill includes a rocket ship design and star field forming the constellation Orion.
– The original Rise flew aboard the Orion capsule Integrity during the Artemis II mission, serving as the crew’s mascot.
– Artemis II mission specialist Christina Koch noted that the earthrise theme resonated with the crew and was incorporated into their mission patch and values.
A fan-designed plush toy that floated aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission as a zero-gravity indicator is now available for purchase, with proceeds supporting agency employee morale programs. The stuffed animal, named Rise, served as both a mascot and a visual cue for when the Orion spacecraft entered microgravity.
“Perfect for display, gifting or inspiring the next generation of explorers, the Official Rise Plush is a fun addition to any space enthusiast’s collection,” reads the product description on the NASA Exchange website.
Rise was created by Lucas Ye, a 9-year-old from California who won the “Moon Mascot” online challenge hosted by NASA and Freelancer.com. The plush pays homage to earthrise, the iconic view of Earth rising over the lunar horizon first captured by the Apollo 8 crew in 1968 and later witnessed by the Artemis II astronauts. Rise wears a blue-and-green cap designed to resemble that historic sight.
“This little guy really resonated with us because the theme is the earthrise photo taken on Apollo 8, which is inspirational to all of us and is a mission that sort of mirrors our own,” said Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist. “We’ve incorporated [earthrise] into our mission patch and also into our ethos and values as a crew.”
The collectible plush faithfully reproduces Rise’s signature cap, including a rocket ship design and a star field that forms the constellation Orion, a direct reference to the spacecraft used during the 10-day lunar mission.
While fans can now own their own Rise, the zero-gravity experience is not included.
(Source: Ars Technica)
