NASA has officially introduced the newest, and undeniably cutest, member of the Artemis II mission crew: a small plush moon named Rise.
Rise isn’t just along for the ride. The plush companion reflects a long‑standing spaceflight tradition and carries symbolic weight tied directly to the mission’s purpose and history. The soft, smiling figure is flying aboard the Orion spacecraft as the mission’s zero‑gravity indicator, floating freely when the spacecraft reaches weightlessness and signaling the astronauts’ arrival in deep space. NASA spotlighted Rise in a recent social media post, quickly drawing attention from space fans worldwide.
“Hi! I’m Rise! About a week ago, I launched aboard the Artemis II mission with four of my besties,” an X post from NASA Artemis said. “Since then, I have been serving a very important purpose aboard the Orion spacecraft… I float. (And I look cute.) Today, I am taking over the Artemis social media accounts! -Rise”
Newsweek reached out to NASA by email for comment.
The NASA Artemis account profile picture was changed to depict the smiling plush on Wednesday. In another post, the plushie explained how it came to exist.
“Some were born great…… and some were DESIGNED great. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the California student who designed me, Lucas Ye. He submitted his design to the Moon Mascot contest — and I was chosen to fly aboard the Artemis II mission!!!!! -Rise”
Selected from more than 2,600 submissions worldwide, Rise was personally chosen by the crew and serves as their “fifth passenger” for the roughly 10‑day mission.
Rise’s design is inspired by the iconic “Earthrise” photograph captured during Apollo 8 in 1968, a mission Artemis II closely mirrors. The plush even includes a hidden microSD card containing names submitted through NASA’s public “Fly Your Name” program, symbolically carrying millions of people to the Moon.
Who Is the Artemis 2 Crew?
Alongside Rise, the Artemis II mission is carrying four astronauts on a historic journey around the Moon: NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency. Together, they are the first humans to travel to lunar orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972.
What Is Artemis 2’s Purpose?
Artemis II is a test flight, not a landing mission. Its goal is to evaluate the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System with astronauts aboard, including life‑support, navigation and communication systems, as NASA prepares for future missions that will return humans to the lunar surface.
When Will Artemis 2 Return to Earth?
Orion will splash down in the Pacific Ocean on Friday evening, marking the end of humanity’s first crewed lunar mission in more than half a century.
“A plan for Rise after splashdown has yet to be determined, but we’ll share more in the future,” a NASA spokesperson told Newsweek.
If all goes as planned, Rise will be floating alongside the astronauts at the mission’s most critical moments, proving that even in deep space, a little cuteness can help make history.
Newsweek's reporters and editors used Martyn, our Al assistant, to help produce this story. Learn more about Martyn.