Design a ZGI to travel to the Moon on Artemis II 

Webinar recording now available! Watch it here .

New to design? Adobe Express just created an amazing template to make entering super simple. Just click "Remix this Design"  and let your creativity soar! Also, check out the ZGI Design Example in the  Files tab !

Please note that you must register for the challenge prior to submitting the entry. You can register by following this link . Please refer to the guidelines page for more information. 

Will you design the zero gravity indicator (ZGI) that accompanies the Artemis II mission around the Moon? If your design is one of the most compelling and resonates with the global community and the Artemis II astronauts, your design might fly into space aboard the Orion spacecraft and you could win US$1225.  

Zero gravity indicators are small items carried aboard spacecraft that provide a visual indicator for when a spacecraft has reached the weightlessness of microgravity. A plush Snoopy doll was the ZGI for the Artemis I mission. For that uncrewed mission, Snoopy floated around, tethered inside the vehicle to indicate when the Orion spacecraft had reached space. 

For this Challenge, we’re asking creatives from all over the world to design a new ZGI to be fabricated by NASA’s Thermal Blanket Lab and launched into space aboard the Artemis II mission.  

This Challenge is open to the following categories: 

NASA will ultimately choose one design to fabricate and fly aboard the Orion spacecraft.  

Background 

Artemis II 

With Artemis, NASA will explore more of the Moon than ever before, learn how to live and work farther away from home, and prepare for future human exploration of Mars. 

Artemis II is targeted to launch in early 2026 and will be the first test flight of the Space Launch System rocket and the Orion spacecraft with humans aboard. Lasting about 10 days, the mission will launch four astronauts from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to fly around the Moon before safely returning to Earth. The mission is a crucial step toward the Artemis III Moon landing mission in 2027.  

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will be joined by another important crewmember in space: the ZGI aboard the Artemis II mission! 

Watch Artemis II to the Moon: Launch to Splashdown to learn more about this mission. 

ZGI for Artemis II

The ZGI for the Artemis II mission will be an original stuffed toy (“plushie”) that will join the Artemis II crew inside of the Orion spacecraft for their journey around the Moon. 

Check out the "How to Know You're in Space: Zero Gravity Indicators" video below to learn more about what ZGI is! 

Manufacturing Considerations of the ZGI

The Artemis II crew and the ZGI will travel around the Moon in the Orion spacecraft. The spacecraft will provide the astronauts with food, water, and oxygen and protect them from hazards like space radiation.  

Size and weight are limited inside the spacecraft. Everything that will be launched inside Orion must be weighed and measured prior to launch to ensure it fits. Each object going in to the crew module is assigned a size and weight limit.  

On Artemis II, the ZGI has been assigned a limit of 6 inches (15.24 cm) in any dimension, meaning it must fit within a 6” x 6” x 6” (15.25 cm3) box. The weight limit is 0.75 lb. (0.34 kg). While you won’t have to calculate the final weight or size of your design, you will need to make sure that you plan your design so that the final manufactured ZGI will be able to meet the requirements. 

When the Thermal Blanket Lab technicians build the flight design for the mission, they will be limited in what materials they can use. Use this list of materials to inform your design. Refer to the Fabric Description document for more information.  

NASA is looking for a Zero Gravity Indicator (ZGI) design that results in a ZGI that meets the following criteria: 

The ZGI must: 

Schedule 

Eligibility Requirements 

Complete Eligibility Rules are available in the Official Rules section. 

Resources 

Artemis II Mission Overview  

NASA Invites Creators to Design Mascot for Artemis Moon Mission

Snoopy ZGI at Work During the Artemis I Mission  

Snoopy ZGI Flew Aboard Artemis I  

Artemis II Mission Map  

Designing Snoopy for Artemis I  

Interview with a Thermal Blanket Technician  

PDF copy of the Challenge Brief available in English, Spanish, and French - attached in the  Files tab

K-8 Individual Student Entry Challenge Brief (Supplemental material) available in English, Spanish, and French - attached in the Files tab

K-8 Classroom Entry Challenge Brief (Supplemental material) available in English, Spanish, and French - attached in the  Files tab

Fabric Descriptions available in English, Spanish, and French - attached in the  Files tab

Submission Form Template - for Adult and K-12 groups - attached in the  Files tab

ZGI Design Template - attached in the  Files tab

FAQ and Q&A Tracker  

Webinar Recording

Webinar FAQ - attached in the  Files tab

Official ZGI Design Example - attached in the  Files tab

Contact

Please submit your questions in the challenge Clarification Board or via email at:  moon-mascot@freelancer.com