NASA wants your help designing its Artemis II mascot

NASA is seeking submissions for a new zero gravity indicator (ZGI) that will accompany the Artemis II astronauts on their upcoming trip around the moon. But if you think you need an advanced engineering degree to design the next ZGI, think again—any level of education and an enthusiasm for space exploration is probably enough to do the trick.

The zero gravity indicator aboard a NASA spacecraft may sound like a complex piece of hardware, but it’s generally a lot simpler (and cuter) than you might think. Aboard the 2022 Artemis I launch, for example, the ZGI took the form of a Snoopy plushie doll dressed in a bespoke astronaut suit, while SpaceX’s Crew-1 mission in 2020 included a Baby Yoda doll from The Mandalorian. In reality, a ZGI is mostly a symbolic token celebrating another successful journey beyond Earth’s gravitational pull, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of thought and care that goes into each mission’s guest of honor.

“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?” Reid Wiseman, NASA astronaut and Artemis II commander, said in a statement. “The indicator will float alongside Victor [Glover], Christina [Koch], Jeremy [Hansen], and me as we go around the far side of the Moon and remind us of all of you back on Earth.”

According to the official application portal, the winning zero gravity indicator must meet certain requirements in order to be eligible for inclusion aboard Artemis II. Given that Orion’s cargo space is at a premium, the ZGI must be small enough to fit inside a 6-square-inch box and weigh no more than 0.75 lbs. Applicants don’t need to calculate their submission’s exact dimensions and mass, but they do must make sure their idea can fit within those parameters. The design must accommodate safety standards inside Orion, particularly as they relate to flame and temperature resistance (think faux fur, polyester fiberfill, and materials like Kevlar, VDA Film, and beta cloth).

Other than that, however, the sky’s the limit for submissions. NASA notes the winning ZGI will be one that is original, “relevant to a global audience,” as well as “meaningful to the Artemis II mission and astronauts.” The challenge includes categories specifically designated for elementary and high school grade ranges, but each Team Lead must be at least 18 years old. Multiple winners will receive $1,225 prizes, but NASA will select just one to include on the Artemis II mission currently scheduled to launch no earlier than April 2026.

Submissions can be sent via this portal and are due before 5pm EST on May 27. Finalists will be announced on or before July 31.

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