
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
The four astronaut's of NASA's Artemis 2 mission arrived in style ahead of their historic moon mission.
What is it?
NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Reid Wiseman, and the Canadian Space Agency's Jeremy Hansen landed their T-38 jets at the Launch and Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida on Friday (March 27).
The crew of four landed at KSC shortly before unveiling their zero gravity indicator, "Rise." Zero gravity indicators are small stuffed items that accompany crews into space to serve as a visual signal that they've left Earth's gravity as they begin to float around their spacecraft.
Rise consists of a smiling moon, wearing a cap decorated to resemble Earth, featuring a brim covered in stars.
Rise was designed by second-grader Lucas Ye of Mountain View, California, and was inspired by the iconic Earthrise moment from the Apollo 8 mission, according to a statement from NASA. The agency opened a call for submissions for the Artemis 2 mission's zero-g indicator last year and received over 2,600 submissions from over 50 countries.
Why is it amazing?
Artemis 2 will be the first crewed mission to lunar space in over 50 years, since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. The flight will test the Orion spacecraft and see the crew carry out experiments that will help NASA prepare for further Artemis program missions.
The overall goal of the Artemis program is to establish a sustained human presence on the lunar surface, including building permanent moon bases.
NASA is currently 'go' to launch Artemis 2 as early as Wednesday, April 1, at 6:24 p.m. EDT (2224 GMT).
Follow along with the latest updates on our Artemis 2 mission live blog.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
SpaceX rocket launches 140 satellites into orbit on Transporter-15, aces landing at sea (video) - 2
The top astronomical discoveries of 2025 - 3
Young Muslims in Germany feel left out of Mideast debate, experts say - 4
Ukraine: Russians abduct 50 Ukrainians from border village in Sumy - 5
Indian rocket launches record-breaking BlueBird 6 smartphone satellite to orbit (video)
Parents who delay baby's first vaccines also likely to skip measles shots
German hauliers warn soaring energy prices may soon impact consumers
Step by step instructions to Contrast Lab Precious stones and Normal Jewels
Health insurance premiums rose nearly 3x the rate of worker earnings over the past 25 years
A Manual for Pick High Evaluated Food Conveyance Administrations In Significant Urban communities For 2024
South African radio presenter among five charged over Russia recruitment plot
Four countries to boycott Eurovision 2026 over Israel’s inclusion
Consumers advised to dispose of 19 cooking pans due to lead leaching risk, FDA reports
Ghassan Al-Duhaini to replace Abu Shabab as Popular Forces leader in Gaza













