Earlier this year, the Moon Mascot design contest challenged people of all ages from all over the world to contribute ideas for the zero gravity indicator for the Artemis II mission. This plush item serves a very important purpose — it indicates when the astronauts have reached space by floating around the spacecraft! The zero gravity indicator also reminds the astronauts of Earth when they are far from home.
The Moon Mascot design contest received thousands of entries from over 50 countries — but only 25 are entering the finalist round.
“Rise” | Lucas Ye from Mountain View, California
“Rise” has a soft round body that resembles the Moon and wears a baseball cap that represents Earth. This design is inspired by the “Earthrise” photo captured in 1968 by the Apollo 8 crew.
“Zappy Zebra” | Kenan Ziyan from Canyon, Texas
ALT“Zappy Zebra” is a zebra wearing a spacesuit. This design is inspired by the long and dangerous migratory patterns of zebras. Just as zebras work together as a herd to navigate difficult terrain, the Artemis II crew will work together as a team to explore around the Moon.
“Luna the Space Polar Bear” | Royal School from Winnepeg, Manitoba, Canada
ALT“Luna the Space Polar Bear” is a polar bear wearing a spacesuit and an astronaut helmet. This design is inspired by how polar bears adapt to extreme cold environments, similarly to how spacesuits protect astronauts from the extreme environment of space.
“Team GarCo” | Garden County Schools from Oshkosh, Nebraska
ALT“Team GarCo” is a mixture between an amphibious creature and a dog, demonstrating that the unknown does not have to be scary. This design is inspired by the ocean, which many people have to overcome fear to experience.
“Parsec — The Bird That Flew to the Moon” | Richellea Quinn Wijaya from Singapore
ALT“Parsec — The Bird That Flew to the Moon” is a bird that has built himself mechanical wings for the purpose of exploring space and the Moon. This design is inspired by the challenge of lunar exploration, which can be overcome by the power of invention.
“Big Steps of Little Octopus” | Anzhelika Iudakova from Finland
ALT“Big Steps of Little Octopus” is an Earth-colored octopus wearing an astronaut helmet and holding the Moon and the planets of our solar system. This design is inspired by the intelligence and dexterity of the octopus, operating as one sole creature despite having many tentacles.
“Astra-Jelly” | Congressional School from Falls Church, Virginia
ALT“Astra-Jelly” is a jellyfish with stars on the end of each tentacle. The Sun and the Moon can be seen on the hood. This design is inspired by the awe felt by astronauts who observe the Moon, the Sun, and the stars.
“Harper, Chloe, and Mateo’s ZGI” | Congressional School from Falls Church, Virginia
ALT“Harper, Chloe, and Mateo’s ZGI” is a deer decorated with constellations and phases of the Moon. This design is inspired by the Greek goddess Artemis. The moon phases and stars represent space exploration.
“Artemis” | Alexa Pacholyk from Madison, Connecticut
ALT“Artemis” is a plush depiction of the Greek goddess — and mission’s namesake — Artemis. This design is inspired by humanity’s curiosity, a love for mythology, and the continued quest for discovery.
“Beeatrice” | Leila Fleury from Rancho Palos Verdes, California
ALT“Beeatrice” is a bee wearing a spacesuit with openings for her wings. This design is inspired by how bees work together as a hive and the positivity of space travel. Beeatrice symbolizes hard work, the intricacies of space, and the delicate nature of exploration.
“Lepus the Moon Rabbit” | Oakville Trafalgar School from Oakville, Canada
ALT“Lepus the Moon Rabbit” is a bunny with markings that look like the Moon’s craters. This design is inspired by humanity’s shared fascination with the Moon across time and cultures. Lepus’ balloon symbolizes how precious Earth is in the vastness of space.
“Sal the Salmon” | Avon High School from Avon, Connecticut
ALT“Sal the Salmon” is a salmon that is detailed to imitate parts of a spaceship. This design is inspired by the cyclical journey of the salmon traveling to and from saltwater and freshwater environments.
“Corey the Explorer” | Daniela Colina from Lima, Peru
ALT“Corey the Explorer” is a plush characterization of human DNA. This design is inspired by all people on Earth and our shared origins with the stars. Corey represents humanity’s curiosity, courage, and connections through our similar makeup with the cosmos.
“Flying squirrel ready for its take off to space!” | Caroline Goyer-Desrosiers from St. Eustache, Canada
ALT“Flying squirrel ready for its take off to space!” is a squirrel wearing an astronaut helmet and decorated with a design intended to symbolize the trajectory of the Artemis II mission. This design is a tribute to the designer’s grandmother and inspired by how space exploration brings together different generations.
“Art & The Giant” | Giulia Bona from Berlin, Germany
ALT“Art & The Giant” is an astronaut sitting on the shoulder of a mythological giant named Orion. This design is inspired by the phrase “standing on the shoulders of giants” and the mythology of Artemis and Orion.
“Lunar Crust-acean” | Tabitha Ramsey from Frederick, Maryland
ALT“Lunar Crust-acean” is a crab with markings on its carapace in the shape of the craters on the Moon. This design is inspired by crabs and what they symbolize in different cultures, including rebirth, protection, and hope.
“Celestial Griffin” | Gabriela Hadas from Plano, Texas
ALT“Celestial Griffin” is a griffin (a half-eagle and half-lion creature) with various characteristics relating to the stars and the Moon. This design is inspired by the bravery, valor, and strength of the Artemis II astronauts.
“Soluna Flier” | Savon Blanchard from Pearland, Texas
ALT“Soluna Flier” is a moth-butterfly hybrid: luna moth on one side and a monarch butterfly on the other side. This design is inspired by the Apollo and Artemis missions and their namesakes: Apollo, god of the Sun, and Artemis, goddess of the Moon.
“MORU: A Cloud Aglow with Moonlight and Hope” | Ayako Moriyama from Kyoto, Japan
ALT“MORU: A Cloud Aglow with Moonlight and Hope” is a cloud fairy. This design is inspired by humanity’s collective hopes and endless drive to explore. MORU stands for “Morph + More of You.”
“Creation Mythos” | Johanna Beck from McPherson, Kansas
ALT“Creation Mythos” is a turtle with an Earth design on its top shell and a Moon design on its bottom shell. This design is inspired by creation myths about Earth riding on the back of a turtle and celebrates both Earth and the Moon.
“Space Mola-mola (aka Moon Fish)” | Guillaume Truong from Toulouse, France
ALT“Space Mola-mola (aka Moon Fish) plushie” is a moonfish decorated with the Orion and Scorpius constellations. This design is inspired by humanity’s bond with Earth’s oceans and space.
“Terra the Titanosaurus” | Arianna Robins from Rockledge, Florida
ALT“Terra the Titanosaurus” is an herbivorous dinosaur wearing a spacesuit and a “Moonpack” to collect Moon rocks. Terra’s spacesuit is inspired by the Artemis II astronauts’ spacesuits. The colors of the “air sacs” on Terra’s neck represent Earth, the Moon, and Mars.
“MISI: Guardian of the Journey” | Sandy Moya from Madrid, Colombia
ALT“MISI: Guardian of the Journey” is a humanoid character with a butterfly shaped jacket. This design is inspired by the hope and care behind humanity’s missions to space. Misi’s feminine features are a tribute to the Greek goddess Artemis.
“Mona the Moon Moth” | Bekah Crowmer from Mooresville, Indiana
ALT“Mona the Moon Moth” is a luna moth hugging a Moon. This design is inspired by the connection between the Earth and the Moon.
“Past, Present, and Future” | Courtney John from Llanelli, Wales
ALT“Past, Present, and Future” consists of three humanoid plushies holding hands in a circle. This design is inspired by the past, present, and future crewed missions to the Moon. The three plushies are joined together to represent unity.
The Artemis II astronauts will select a flight design from the finalists. Then, the zero gravity indicator will be fabricated by the Thermal Blanket Lab and prepared for its mission around the Moon!
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