The 4 astronauts who traveled across the far facet of the moon will return to Earth on Friday. With them can be a luxurious toy named Rise, a mission mascot who grew to become a viral sensation whereas serving an essential position aboard Artemis II.
Rise’s growth started greater than a yr earlier than Artemis II blasted off for its historic journey. In March 2025, NASA partnered with Freelancer, the world’s largest crowdsourcing firm, to run a design contest to result in the mascot’s design. The winner did not simply should be cute and cuddly: It additionally wanted to function a zero-gravity indicator that might sign when the crew reached weightlessness.
Designs needed to match into powerful parameters, in keeping with a information launch from Freelancer. It had to slot in a 6″x6″x6″ field and weigh not more than 12 ounces. It might solely be made with particular supplies, and it needed to “characterize humanity, exploration, and the spirit of the Artemis marketing campaign,” in keeping with Freelancer.
Second-grader Lucas Ye determined to participate. Some early concepts “did not actually work out,” he stated in Freelancer’s information launch. After “some brainstorming,” he got here up with the design that might turn out to be Rise.
Freelancer
Every facet of the plush references a second in house historical past, in keeping with Freelancer: The spherical white physique represents the moon, and a tiny footprint on the again references Neil Armstrong’s arrival there in 1969. The toy’s cap is impressed by Apollo 8’s “Earthrise” picture, and its visor and brim are embellished with a galaxy and rockets. The constellation Orion can be featured within the design. Orion is the identify of the capsule utilized by the Artemis II astronauts.
Lucas sketched the design, then constructed a prototype himself, in keeping with Freelancer. When submissions for the competition closed in June 2025, the corporate reviewed 2,605 entries from greater than 50 international locations. In August, Freelancer chosen 25 finalists, together with Rise. On the time, Lucas informed Freelancer that he would really feel “hyperactive” if Rise was really chosen.
5 designs have been shortlisted. Then the Artemis II crew picked their favourite. After all, it wound up being Rise.
Freelancer
In a NASA behind-the-scenes video exhibiting Rise’s manufacturing, Artemis II pilot Victor Glover stated choosing the design was a “troublesome determination.” Mission specialist Christina Koch stated that Rise’s historic references helped win them over.
“It was a design impressed by the Earthrise picture taken on Apollo 8, which may be very particular to our crew,” Koch stated. Among the many photographs the Artemis II crew captured was an “Earthset” picture that mirrors that iconic picture.
The model of Rise that was used within the mission was crafted by NASA’s Thermal Blanket Lab on the Goddard Area Flight Middle in Greenbelt, Maryland, in keeping with NASA. Often, the lab builds customized supplies to guard fragile gear. Rise needed to meet NASA’s security requirements.
Technician Pamela Cain used a mixture of machine and hand-sewing strategies to place the mascot collectively. She additionally wanted so as to add a pocket so Rise might maintain a micro SD card that contained greater than 5.6 million names submitted by NASA’s “Ship Your Title with Artemis” marketing campaign.
NASA
On April 1, Rise was tethered contained in the Orion capsule with the Artemis II astronauts. Lucas and his household watched Artemis II’s launch from the Kennedy Area Middle.
“We by no means thought we bought a chance to be a part of this mission,” Lucas’ father informed Freelancer. “That is actually significant to us, particularly [since] Lucas has such a ardour about house and rockets. It is a very significant challenge for the entire household.”
Rise grew to become a sensation because the mascot floated by movies taken aboard Artemis II. On Monday, the Artemis II crew set a file for the farthest people have ever travelled from Earth. As the crew returns to Earth on Friday, Rise will ultimately drop again to the bottom to point gravity has returned.
NASA
Freelancer didn’t specify what would occur to Rise as soon as the astronauts splash down on Friday. The Orion capsule is ready to land within the Pacific Ocean.
Lucas informed Freelancer that all the expertise has impressed a dream for his future: To “work at NASA” and “be an astronaut.”
