Second-Grader Designs Mascot for Artemis II Mission

Plush zero gravity indicator was one of thousands of entries in global NASA student contest

Mar. 30, 2026 at 10:05pm

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A bold, abstract painting in the style of Hilma af Klint, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals in earthy tones of green, blue, and orange, conceptually representing the Artemis II mission and the role of the zero-gravity indicator.A second-grader's winning design for the Artemis II mission's zero-gravity indicator will soon be headed to space, highlighting the human element of exploration.Mountain View Today

NASA's next trip around the moon will have a pint-size passenger with elementary-school credentials. When Artemis II launches as early as April 1, the four astronauts will be joined by "Rise," a small plush doll created by second-grader Lucas Ye of Mountain View, California. It will serve as the mission's zero-gravity indicator.

Why it matters

The tradition of sending a small plush doll as a zero-gravity indicator dates back to Yuri Gagarin's Vostok 1 mission, and has included everything from R2-D2 to Snoopy. This helps highlight the human element of space exploration, which is critical as NASA embarks on its first crewed journey beyond Earth's orbit since Apollo.

The details

NASA picked Rise from more than 2,600 entries submitted by kids in over 50 countries for its Moon Mascot contest. The list was narrowed down to 25 last summer and to five this month. Inspired by the famous "Earthrise" photo from Apollo 8, Rise will float freely to signal when the crew has reached microgravity.

  • Artemis II is scheduled to launch as early as April 1, 2026.
  • The Moon Mascot contest was held last year, with the list of entries narrowed down to 25 finalists in the summer and 5 finalists in March 2026.

The players

Lucas Ye

A second-grader from Mountain View, California, who designed the plush doll "Rise" that will serve as the zero-gravity indicator for the Artemis II mission.

Reid Wiseman

The commander of the Artemis II mission, who commented on the importance of the zero-gravity indicator in highlighting the human element of space exploration.

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What they’re saying

“In a spacecraft filled with complex hardware to keep the crew alive in deep space, the indicator is a friendly and useful way to highlight the human element that is so critical to our exploration of the universe.”

— Reid Wiseman, Artemis II Commander

What’s next

If the Artemis II launch doesn't happen as planned on Wednesday night, there will be several other launch opportunities in the following days.

The takeaway

The selection of a second-grader's design for the Artemis II zero-gravity indicator demonstrates NASA's commitment to engaging the next generation of space explorers and highlighting the human element of space travel, which is crucial as the agency embarks on its first crewed mission beyond Earth's orbit since the Apollo era.