NASA is looking for creators worldwide who could help them create a zero-gravity indicator that will fly aboard the Artemis II test flight. A zero-gravity indicator is a small, plush item carried aboard a spacecraft to provide a visual indication of when the carrier and crew reach space.

Moon Mascot

The Snoopy plush floating inside the Artemis I test flight
The Snoopy plush floating inside the Artemis I test flight; Photo: NASA

Crowdsourcing company Freelancer is hosting the challenge, Moon Mascot: NASA Artemis II ZGI Design Contest, on behalf of the agency through the NASA Tournament Lab, which is managed by the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate.

NASA is no stranger to zero-gravity indicators. For example, crews have used small plushes for many trips to the International Space Station. The agency said that a small Snoopy plush traveled inside the Orion spacecraft for NASA’s uncrewed Artemis I mission.

However, this time around, NASA and Freelancer are looking for original designs that represent the significance of the Artemis program, the mission, or exploration and discovery. The agency says that the designs must also fit most of the specific requirements for material and size.

“What better way to fly a mission around the Moon than to invite the public inside NASA’s Orion spacecraft with us and ask for help in designing our zero gravity indicator?” asked Reid Wiseman, NASA astronaut, and Artemis II commander, at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “The indicator will float alongside Victor, Christina, Jeremy, and me as we go around the far side of the Moon and remind us of all of you back on Earth.”

Organizers will select up to 25 finalists, including from a K-12 student division. The Artemis II crew will select the winner to ride along with them in Orion, offering creators a once-in-a-lifetime experience of seeing their creation floating alongside astronauts on their way to the Moon.

Anyone interested can find the full details on the Freelancer website.