The Story Behind This Artemis II Photo Is Really, Truly, Just The Best

3 days ago 13

If you're similar me, past you're going done a spot of Artemis II withdrawl.

Four astronauts floating successful  a spacecraft, each  giving thumbs up. U.S. and Canadian flags visible. They deterioration  matching ngo  shirts

Nasa / Getty Images

Like, I've afloat developed a parasocial narration with 4 nerdy astronauts who went astir the Moon. Go figure.

Four astronauts successful  a abstraction  module clasp  each   other, smiling, surrounded by instrumentality  with U.S. and Canadian flags visible

Nasa / Getty Images

As this idiosyncratic said, "i miss the small astronauts successful my phone."

 "i miss   the small  astronauts successful  my phone." Viewed 81.4K times, posted April 12, 2026

So, if you were pursuing the journey, you cognize determination was different overmuch smaller member.

Four astronauts successful  orangish  abstraction  suits basal   extracurricular  NASA facility, smiling and preparing for their mission

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

That was Rise, the plushie. Duh.

Astronaut holds a plush, smiling artifact  with a cap, featuring elemental  facial details and patterns

Rise was designed by 8-year-old Lucas Ye.

A household  visits NASA Ames, celebrating Lucas Ye, decorator  of the Artemis II Moon mascot, "Rise." His plan  was inspired by the Apollo 8 Earthrise

He rapidly became a prima of the mission.

Cute plush artifact  held successful  beforehand   of a NASA gathering  entrance, with substance   joking astir  getting its ain  formation  suit

His relationship with the astronauts happened quickly.

NASA Artemis station  with a plush quality  named Rise, humorously explaining its relation   connected  the Orion spacecraft

You astir apt saw him hanging retired with them connected the ship. You know, conscionable floating around.

NASA Artemis tweet with astronaut plush artifact  "Rise" floating successful  the Orion spacecraft, surrounded by 4  smiling astronauts

He answered questions for the media.

Astronauts wrong  a spacecraft reply  media questions during their travel  to Earth aft  a historical  lunar flyby, surrounded by instrumentality  and gear

And, just, like, successful wide was a beacon of light.

Plush artifact  with a smiling look   and a headdress  successful  a NASA Artemis tweet saying, "Look what I tin  do!! -Rise."

He IS virtually satellite joyousness plushified.

 "COPY, MOON JOY?? I AM MOON JOY!!!! -Rise."

Well, the communicative gets amended and has the happiest ending. People noticed Rise really made it backmost with the astronauts.

Two astronauts successful  orangish  abstraction  suits beryllium   wrong  a vehicle, listening to a lasting  idiosyncratic   successful  a bluish  NASA formation  suit

Anadolu / Anadolu via Getty Images

See, determination helium is.

Two astronauts successful  orangish  suits beryllium   wrong  a helicopter, receiving instructions from a lasting  idiosyncratic  successful  a bluish  suit   with NASA patches

Anadolu / Anadolu via Getty Images

Astronaut Reid Wiseman explained, "I was expected to permission Rise successful Integrity….but that was not thing I was going to do. I stuffed that small feline successful a adust container we had successful our endurance kit and hooked the container onto my unit suit."

Tweet by Reid Wiseman astir  keeping a "little guy" successful  a adust  container  attached to his unit   suit, with implicit    1.4M views

Rise present appears to beryllium a subordinate of Reid's family. Those are his 2 daughters (and Rise):

Three radical   happily seated successful  a vehicle. An astronaut successful  a bluish  NASA suit   is connected  the right. Social media station  with caption "Mission complete" and 3  bosom  emojis

Reid besides gave a small update astir Rise's whereabouts: "PS- it’s hard not to emotion this small guy. I cant fto Rise retired of my sight…currently tethered to my h2o bottle."

Plush artifact  with a cute look  and headdress  sitting adjacent  to a backpack and h2o  vessel  labeled "R" connected  a table. Reminder of fond attachment

I mean, travel on. So cute.

Four individuals successful  bluish  formation  suits with ngo  patches, posing proudly connected  stage, 2  pointing forward, each  wearing caps

RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP via Getty Images

One happening EVERYONE is asking, though, is WHERE CAN I BUY ONE?!?!

Tweet from idiosyncratic    Jasmine asking for Rise plushies, expressing excitement with crying emojis

NASA said they mightiness beryllium coming: "We’ve seen galore requests for Artemis II items, including Rise plushies, and our squad is presently successful the reappraisal process. Because accumulation takes 60+ days, it volition beryllium a small portion earlier they’re ready!"

NASA's Artemis II update: Merchandise reappraisal  successful  progress; expect   implicit    60 days for availability. Details connected  NASA Exchange stores shared

Anyway, ILY. Bye. Stay gorgeous XO etc.

NASA unit  members holding a plush artifact  with a smiley look   and substance   astir  carrying "her sanction  adjacent  to my heart" by "Rise."

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