TRENDING SCIENCE: Stranger things: This is what’s flying to the moon with Artemis I

NASA’s Artemis I mission consisting of the new Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft has finally set off with the hopes of returning humans to the moon for the first time in half a century.

According to a NASA press kit, Artemis I “will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate our commitment and capability to return humans to the Moon and extend beyond. … The flight will pave the way for future missions to the lunar vicinity, including landing the first woman and first person of color on the surface of the Moon.”On this mission, however, there won’t be any astronauts, at least not the conventional kind. Mannequins, plush dolls, toys and virtual assistant technology are going for a ride around the moon. Don’t laugh, they all have very important jobs to do.

The mission is led by Commander Moonikin Campos, a mannequin named after engineer Arturo Campos who was key to saving and bringing home Apollo 13. Together with two other female-bodied model human torsos, it will measure radiation to determine what effects it might have on future Artemis crews. It will also test shielding technology that protects Orion and its passengers.

A space-suited Snoopy is floating inside Orion and will notify NASA once the capsule has reached a microgravity environment – the condition in which people or objects appear to be weightless. “Oh, I’m sorry, Snoopy. They had to put you on a leash because you’re hanging in the Orion capsule right now,” commented NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Snoopy was the last person to be put in Orion when they closed the hatch.”

The iconic black and white beagle won’t get lonely. Sporting a European Space Agency (ESA) suit, Shaun the Sheep will also be used to show the team on the ground when the spacecraft reaches weightlessness. In August 2022, ESA chose the loveable animal to be its first astronaut to travel to the moon. “We’re woolly very happy that he’s been selected for the mission and we understand that, although it might be a small step for a human, it’s a giant leap for lambkind,” stated ESA’s Director for Human and Robotic Exploration Dr David Parker.

Amazon Alexa will be on the journey too as a tech demo called Callisto. It will determine how astronauts and other personnel can use technology to make their jobs more secure and efficient as they explore the cosmos.

Two male and two female Lego figurines will also ride along to engage parents, teachers and students in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics, more commonly referred to as STE(A)M.Not as fun or unconventional, but just as significant, are 10 small satellites that will be deployed to carry out experiments and technology demonstrations. These range from investigating the moon or an asteroid to the deep space radiation environment. Known as CubeSats, they are no more than 13 kg each and roughly the size of a shoebox.

Of course, as with all explorations, current and future Artemis missions will take what they learn on the moon to prepare humankind for the next giant leap – sending us to Mars. Care to guess what weird and wacky things will be on that mission?