Artemis 2 astronaut Christina Koch smiles with the zero-gravity indicator “Rise” in an Orion spacecraft selfie. (Image credit: NASA)
Artemis 2 astronaut Christina Koch starred in an out-of-this-world selfie with the zero-gravity indicator “Rise” on April 4, captured from a camera mounted on a solar panel as the crew were half way to the moon ahead of their historic lunar flyby.
What is it?
Koch can be seen smiling alongside Rise in an illuminated Orion viewport, with the spacecraft’s service module bathed in bright sunlight on Flight Day 4 of their 10-day lunar mission.
The NASA photo was captured using a modified GoPro camera mounted on the end of a 7-meter-long (23-foot) solar panel — one of four such “wings” that power the Orion spacecraft by transforming sunlight into usable electricity.
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Why is it incredible?
Zero-g indicators are traditionally flown on space missions as both a mascot and a simple way for astronauts to confirm they have reached microgravity.
NASA held an open competition to design the Artemis 2 zero-g indicator, receiving more than 2,600 entries from over 50 countries. The winning design from Californian 3rd grader Lucas Ye was inspired by astronaut Bill Anders’ iconic Apollo 8 “Earthrise” photo and features a smiling moon-like head and Earth-themed cap.
The Artemis 2 astronauts pose for a photograph alongside their zero gravity indicator on March 27, 2026 after arriving at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (Image credit: NASA/John Kraus)
Safely tucked within the adorable mascot is a tiny SD card bearing the names of the 5,647,889 people who applied for an Artemis 2 “boarding pass”. Artemis 2 astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen are due to return to Earth on April 10, enduring a fiery atmospheric re-entry before finally splashing down off the coast of San Diego to bring an end to their 10-day space odyssey.
Want to know more? Then be sure to keep up to date with the latest news with our Artemis 2 liveblog and read up on NASA’s efforts to establish a sustainable presence on the moon with our Artemis program explainer.