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Eight-Year-Old's Moon-Inspired Plush Heads To Space On Artemis II
Lucas Ye's winning design will help Artemis II astronauts detect zero gravity
Apr. 6, 2026 at 3:06pm
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A whimsical plush toy designed by an eight-year-old boy will accompany astronauts on a historic journey around the Moon, continuing a longstanding tradition of sending stuffed companions to space.Mountain View TodayAn eight-year-old boy named Lucas Ye from Mountain View, California, designed a small, Moon-shaped plush toy called "Rise" that was selected by NASA to fly on the Artemis II mission around the Moon. Rise's job is to float in zero gravity, providing a visual cue to the astronauts that they have reached microgravity conditions.
Why it matters
The tradition of sending stuffed toys on space missions dates back to the first human spaceflight by Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin in 1961. These plush companions serve an important purpose in alerting astronauts to the onset of zero gravity, while also providing a fun, relatable element to long-duration spaceflights.
The details
Lucas Ye's design "Rise" was selected from over 2,600 entries spanning 50 countries in NASA's "Moon Mascot" challenge. Rise is a small, white plush toy in the shape of the Moon, wearing a planet-themed baseball cap inspired by the iconic "Earthrise" photograph taken during the Apollo 8 mission. As the Artemis II spacecraft reached zero gravity, Rise alerted the astronauts by floating freely inside the cabin.
- On April 1, 2026, the Artemis II Orion spacecraft blasted off for a trip around the Moon.
- In 2026, NASA held the "Moon Mascot" challenge that invited people from around the world to design small objects that could float in space.
The players
Lucas Ye
An eight-year-old boy from Mountain View, California, who designed the winning "Rise" plush toy for NASA's "Moon Mascot" challenge.
Yuri Gagarin
The first human to travel to space, who brought a small doll with him on the 1961 Vostok 1 mission to observe it float in microgravity, starting the tradition of using stuffed toys as visual zero-gravity indicators.
Artemis II
The second mission in NASA's Artemis program, which will send astronauts around the Moon in the Orion spacecraft, carrying the winning "Rise" plush toy.
What they’re saying
“Seeing the launch in person was really cool.”
— Lucas Ye, Second grader
What’s next
After the successful Artemis II mission, Lucas Ye's "Rise" plush toy will be returned to him as a keepsake from his historic spaceflight contribution.
The takeaway
The inclusion of Lucas Ye's "Rise" plush toy on the Artemis II mission continues the longstanding tradition of sending stuffed companions to space, which helps astronauts detect the onset of microgravity while also providing a fun, relatable element to space exploration.
