NASA has revealed the 25 finalists for its "Moon Mascot: NASA Artemis II ZGI Design Challenge." This global competition aimed to design a unique zero-gravity indicator (ZGI) that will accompany the crew of the Artemis II mission aboard the Orion spacecraft.
The Artemis II mission, currently scheduled for April 2026, represents a significant milestone as the first crewed mission to venture beyond Earth's orbit since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. The crew, consisting of NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will undertake a 10-day trajectory around the Moon. This mission is crucial for testing the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket in the deep space environment, paving the way for future lunar surface operations and potential Mars exploration.
The ZGI plays a vital role by providing a visual cue to the astronauts indicating their transition into weightlessness. For the uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022, a Snoopy plush toy served this purpose. The tradition of using zero-gravity indicators dates back to Yuri Gagarin's historic 1961 flight, where he brought a small doll. This practice has evolved over the years, with various symbolic items being flown on missions, often chosen by astronauts' families.
From a total of 2,605 submissions received worldwide, the 25 finalists were selected, showcasing broad international participation. Entries originated from countries including Canada, Colombia, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Peru, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Within the U.S., designs were submitted from states such as California, Colorado, Connecticut, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Nebraska, Texas, and Virginia. These finalists embody a shared spirit of innovation and a collective aspiration for space exploration.
The winning zero-gravity indicator will be brought to life by NASA's Thermal Blanket Lab, transforming a creative concept into a tangible piece of spaceflight history. Its presence on the Artemis II mission will create a symbolic link between the astronauts exploring the cosmos and those observing from Earth, representing a shared human endeavor to reach for the stars.