Members Can Post Anonymously On This Site
Sentinel-2C operators complete final rehearsals
-
Similar Topics
-
By NASA
3 Min Read NASA Shares Final Contenders for Artemis II Moon Mascot Design Contest
NASA is down to 25 finalists for the Artemis II zero gravity indicator set to fly with the mission’s crew around the Moon and back next year.
Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch of NASA, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen will soon select one of the finalist designs to join them inside the Orion spacecraft as their Moon mascot.
“The Artemis II zero gravity indicator will be special for the crew,” said Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander. “In a spacecraft filled with complex hardware to keep the crew alive in deep space, the indicator is a friendly and useful way to highlight the human element that is so critical to our exploration of the universe. Our crew is excited about these designs from across the world and we are looking forward to bringing the winner along for the ride.”
A zero gravity indicator is a small plush item that typically rides with a crew to visually indicate when they are in space. For the first eight minutes after liftoff, the crew and their indicator nearby will still be pushed into their seats by gravity, and the force of the climb into space. When the main engines of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket’s core stage cut off, gravity’s restraints are lifted, but the crew will still be strapped safely into their seats – their zero gravity indicator’s ability to float will provide proof that they’ve made it into space.
Artemis II will mark the first time that the public has had a hand in creating the crew’s mascot.
These designs – ideas spanning from Moon-related twists on Earthly creatures to creative visions of exploration and discovery – were selected from more than 2,600 submissions from over 50 countries, including from K-12 students. The finalists represent 10 countries including the United States, Canada, Colombia, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Peru, Singapore, and Wales.
View the finalist designs:
Lucas Ye | Mountain View, California“Rise” Kenan Ziyan | Canyon, Texas“Zappy Zebra” Royal School, SKIES Space Club | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada“Luna the Space Polar Bear” Garden County Schools | Oshkosh, Nebraska“Team GarCo” Richellea Quinn Wijaya | Singapore“Parsec – The Bird That Flew to the Moon” Anzhelika Iudakova | Finland“Big Steps of Little Octopus” Congressional School | Falls Church, Virginia“Astra-Jelly” Congressional School | Falls Church, Virginia“Harper, Chloe, and Mateo’s ZGI” Alexa Pacholyk | Madison, Connecticut“Artemis” Leila Fleury | Rancho Palos Verdes, California“Beeatrice” Oakville Trafalgar School | Oakville, Ontario, Canada“Lepus the Moon Rabbit” Avon High School | Avon, Connecticut“Sal the Salmon” Daniela Colina | Lima, Peru“Corey the Explorer” Caroline Goyer-Desrosiers | St. Eustache, Quebec, Canada“Flying Squirrel Ready for Its Take Off to Space!” Giulia Bona | Berlin, Germany“Art & the Giant” Tabitha Ramsey | Frederick, Maryland“Lunar Crust-acean” Gabriela Hadas | Plano, Texas“Celestial Griffin” Savon Blanchard | Pearland, Texas“Soluna Flier” Ayako Moriyama | Kyoto, Japan“MORU: A Cloud Aglow with Moonlight and Hope” Johanna Beck | McPherson, Kansas“Creation Mythos” Guillaume Truong | Toulouse, France“Space Mola-mola (aka Moon Fish) Plushie” Arianna Robins | Rockledge, Florida“Terra the Titanosaurus” Sandy Moya | Madrid, Colombia“MISI: Guardian of the Journey” Bekah Crowmer | Mooresville, Indiana“Mona the Moon Moth” Courtney John | Llanelli, Wales“Past, Present, Future” In March, NASA announced it was seeking design ideas from global creators for a zero gravity indicator to fly aboard Artemis II, the first crewed mission under NASA’s Artemis campaign. Creators were asked to submit ideas representing the significance of Artemis, the mission, or exploration and discovery, and to meet specific size and materials requirements. Crowdsourcing company Freelancer facilitated the contest on NASA’s behalf though the NASA Tournament Lab, managed by the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate.
Once the crew has selected a final design, NASA’s Thermal Blanket Lab will fabricate it for flight. The indicator will be tethered inside Orion before launch.
The approximately 10-day mission is another step toward missions on the lunar surface and helping the agency prepare for future human missions to Mars.
Through Artemis, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
View the full article
-
By NASA
After months of work in the NASA Spacesuit User Interface Technologies for Students (SUITS) challenge, more than 100 students from 12 universities across the United States traveled to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to showcase potential user interface designs for future generations of spacesuits and rovers.
NASA Johnson’s simulated Moon and Mars surface, called “the rock yard,” became the students’ testing ground as they braved the humid nights and abundance of mosquitoes to put their innovative designs to the test. Geraldo Cisneros, the tech team lead, said, “This year’s SUITS challenge was a complete success. It provided a unique opportunity for NASA to evaluate the software designs and tools developed by the student teams, and to explore how similar innovations could contribute to future, human-centered Artemis missions. My favorite part of the challenge was watching how the students responded to obstacles and setbacks. Their resilience and determination were truly inspiring.”
Tess Caswell and the Rice Owls team from Rice University test their augmented reality heads-up display at Johnson Space Center’s Rock Yard in Houston on May 19, 2025.NASA/James Blair Students filled their jam-packed days not only with testing, but also with guest speakers and tours. Swastik Patel from Purdue University said, “All of the teams really enjoyed being here, seeing NASA facilities, and developing their knowledge with NASA coordinators and teams from across the nation. Despite the challenges, the camaraderie between all the participants and staff was very helpful in terms of getting through the intensity. Can’t wait to be back next year!”
John Mulnix with Team Cosmoshox from Wichita State University presents the team’s design during the Spacesuit User Interface Technologies for Students (SUITS) exit pitches at Johnson on May 22, 2025.NASA/David DeHoyos “This week has been an incredible opportunity. Just seeing the energy and everything that’s going on here was incredible. This week has really made me reevaluate a lot of things that I shoved aside. I’m grateful to NASA for having this opportunity, and hopefully we can continue to have these opportunities.”
At the end of test week, each student team presented their projects to a panel of experts. These presentations served as a platform for students to showcase not only their technical achievements but also their problem-solving approaches, teamwork, and vision for real-world application. The panel–composed of NASA astronaut Deniz Burnham, Flight Director Garrett Hehn, and industry leaders–posed thought-provoking questions and offered constructive feedback that challenged the students to think critically and further refine their ideas. Their insights highlighted potential areas for growth, new directions for exploration, and ways to enhance the impact of their projects. The students left the session energized and inspired, brimming with new ideas and a renewed enthusiasm for future development and innovation. Burnham remarked, “The students did such a great job. They’re all so creative and wonderful, definitely something that can be implemented in the future.”
Gamaliel Cherry, director of the Office of STEM Engagement at Johnson, presents the Artemis Educator Award to Maggie Schoonover from Wichita State University on May 22, 2025.NASA/David DeHoyos NASA SUITS test week was not only about pushing boundaries; it was about earning a piece of history. Three Artemis Student Challenge Awards were presented. The Innovation and Pay it Forward awards were chosen by the NASA team, recognizing the most groundbreaking and impactful designs. Students submitted nominations for the Artemis Educator Award, celebrating the faculty member who had a profound influence on their journeys. The Innovation Award went to Team JARVIS from Purdue University and Indiana State University, for going above and beyond in their ingenuity, creativity, and inventiveness. Team Selene from Midwestern State University earned the Pay it Forward Award for conducting meaningful education events in the community and beyond. The Artemis Educator Award was given to Maggie Schoonover from Wichita State University in Kansas for the time, commitment, and dedication she gave to her team.
“The NASA SUITS challenge completes its eighth year in operation due to the generous support of NASA’s EVA and Human Surface Mobility Program,” said NASA Activity Manager Jamie Semple. “This challenge fosters an environment where students learn essential skills to immediately enter a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career, and directly contribute to NASA mission operations. These students are creating proposals, generating designs, working in teams similar to the NASA workforce, utilizing artificial intelligence, and designing mission operation solutions that could be part of the Artemis III mission and beyond. NASA’s student design challenges are an important component of STEM employment development and there is no better way to learn technical skills to ensure future career success.”
The week serves as a springboard for the next generation of space exploration, igniting curiosity, ambition, and technical excellence among young innovators. By engaging with real-world challenges and technologies, participants not only deepen their understanding of space science but also actively contribute to shaping its future. Each challenge tackled, each solution proposed, and each connection formed represents a meaningful step forward; not just for the individuals involved, but for humanity as a whole. With every iteration of the program, the dream of venturing further into space becomes more tangible, transforming what once seemed like science fiction into achievable milestones.
Are you interested in joining the next NASA SUITS challenge? Find more information here.
The next challenge will open for proposals at the end of August 2025.
The 2025 NASA SUITS teams represent academic institutions across the United States.NASA/David DeHoyosView the full article
-
By NASA
2 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
NASA / DIP Start
July 27, 2022 at 10:00 AM EDTEnd
June 27, 2022 at 12:00 PM EST What It’s About?
DIP is hosting an online session to provide detailed information on the CDDR service, scope of the collaborative opportunity, partner responsibilities and ACO response submission instructions. The intent is to share information for interested parties to make an informed decision to collaborate and successfully respond to the ACO. (For the details of the collaboration, please read the full Announcement on sam.gov website (ID: 80ARC022JAI-DIP)).
The ACO is the first step to collaborate with NASA on this project. Flight Operators selected from the ACO process will contribute and benefit from the Sustainable Aviation (SA) demonstration to test and validate a cloud-based departure reroute service called Collaborative Digital Departure Reroute (CDDR) during FY22-24. CDDR has been shown to reduce fuel burn and emissions through reduced surface departure delays, which benefits re-routed flights as well as all other related departures in the operational area.
Agenda
Sustainable Aviation (SA) demonstrations overview DIP platform and digital services overview Expectations of partners ACO walkthrough and how to submit What to expect after an ACO is submitted Q/A Who Should Register?
This information session is primarily designed to assist flight operators with the ACO process. While other aviation industry participants are not discouraged from attending this session, the focus will be on the flight operator portion of our audience. An additional ACO for service providers will be announced on a future date.
Resources
Presentation slides Session Recording Request materials via email (arc-dip-ext@mail.nasa.gov) Digital Information Platform
Digital Information Platform Events
Facebook logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es @NASA@NASAaero@NASAes Instagram logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASAes Linkedin logo @NASA Explore More
1 min read Digital Information Platform Library
Article 10 minutes ago 1 min read DIP Events
Article 11 minutes ago 1 min read DIP Request for Information (RFI) Information Session
Article 11 minutes ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA
Missions
Humans In Space
Solar System Exploration
Eyes on the Solar System
Explore NASA’s History
Share
Details
Last Updated Jun 18, 2025 EditorLillian GipsonContactJim Bankejim.banke@nasa.gov Related Terms
Digital Information Platform Air Traffic Management – Exploration View the full article
-
By NASA
Video Producer – Goddard Space Flight Center
What sparked your interest in video production, and what drew you to NASA?
Ever since I saw “Star Wars” at nine years old, I knew I wanted to make movies. I would make little stop action videos with my action figures.
How did you land this role at NASA, and what do your duties entail?
I was working with a company in New York for about eight years, producing a daily live interactive show on Facebook. I’ve always been obsessed with NASA, so when I saw the job opportunity I knew I had to take a shot. To this day I still can’t believe how lucky I am to work here. I’ve been working with the Hubble mission for the past five years, but I’ve begun to work on other missions like the James Webb Space Telescope, MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN), Osiris-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security – Regolith Explorer), and the incredible Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
Paul Morris is a video producer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. His work brings the cosmos to the screen, turning space science into cinematic wonder.Credit: Courtesy of Paul Morris How has your style evolved over time?
My previous job was very steeped in “internet culture,” so it was a lot more fast-paced and crazy style videos. The main goal was to get the audience to watch past the ad break. With NASA I’ve been able to slow down my videos a bit more and focus more on quality and explaining the science result.
Paul has covered several NASA missions, including the James Webb, Hubble and upcoming Roman space telescopes. He translates scientific discoveries into exciting visual stories to connect broad audiences with NASA’s work.Credit: Courtesy of Paul Morris What guides your process when you start a new assignment?
Let me be clear, I feel that all astro science is super cool and interesting. However, some of it is less interesting to the general public. Therefore, the first thing I think about when approaching a potential new story is by asking the question: “Would a fifth grader think this story is awesome?” Black holes, giant explosions, stars dying…if the story is there then the imagery will be there too.
Part of Paul’s role as video producer involves interviewing scientists and other experts, drawing out insights that make complex topics more understandable.Credit: Courtesy of Paul Morris What’s been your favorite project so far?
A few years back, Hubble just celebrated the 30th anniversary of the first servicing mission, (the one that corrected the mirror flaw). I got to interview some of the biggest Hubble legends of all time and created a seven-part series from the perspectives of all of these genius engineers, scientists, and even astronauts. I was super proud of how all those videos came out.
Do you have any major goals you hope to achieve or projects you’d like to tackle someday?
I’d love to do a full-length movie following a project from its conception to its deactivation. Obviously, this is rather hard to do and will take years, potentially decades, but there are a few projects that are on the “ground floor” at the moment, so I’d love to just check in with them every year or so.
How has your work influenced your understanding or appreciation of space science and technology?
I’ve been absolutely obsessed with all things NASA since around third grade, so I’ve always loved space science and technology. However, I had no idea how much the technology of space telescopes has led to incredible advances in Earth technologies. From Olympic speed skating to breast cancer research or saving whale sharks, there’s just such a huge return on investment with NASA research.
Paul poses between Hubble astronauts John Grunsfeld (left) and Michael Good (right) at NASA’s 10th anniversary celebration of the Hubble servicing mission 4.Credit: Courtesy of Paul Morris Where do you draw inspiration from?
The incredibly talented and creative people I work with always make me strive to make better videos.
What hobbies fill your time outside of work?
I’ve gotten really into running and CrossFit since Covid. I also direct plays from time to time at a local theatre near my house.
In addition to producing videos, Paul participates in outreach events to inform the public about NASA space missions.Credit: Courtesy of Paul Morris What advice do you have for others who are interested in doing similar work?
Always look for ways to add to your creative skillset. There are a lot of amazing training options available online, and there’s always something new you can do to make yourself even better than you are today.
By Ashley Balzer
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
Share
Details
Last Updated Jun 09, 2025 Related Terms
People of NASA Hubble Space Telescope James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer) People of Goddard View the full article
-
By European Space Agency
The deadline to apply for ESA’s Junior Professional Programme (JPP) is fast approaching, with applications closing on 5 June. The JPP is a unique opportunity for recent graduates and early-career professionals to gain hands-on experience at one of the world’s leading space organisations. Successful candidates will work on real ESA projects alongside experienced experts in fields ranging from engineering and science to business and administration. If you are ready to take the first step towards a future in space, don’t miss this opportunity. Submit your application before the 5 June deadline.
View the full article
-
-
Check out these Videos
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.