Much has been discussed about the test dummies used on the Orion capsule during the recent Artemis I mission. And stories abound about the snoopy doll (show below) being the “zero-gravity” indicator on the Orion. But have you heard about the four Danish passengers on the capsule?
The Danish company Lego had four toy astronauts on the Orion capsule as well – Kate, Kyle, Julia, and Sebastian. It’s part of an educational series for children. NASA and Lego have been educational partners for a while now.
Are these the first toys in Space? Absolutely not. For instance, space shuttle astronauts have brought a teddy bear and Star Wars light saber into into orbit, among other things. And last year a SpaceX capsule sent to the International Space Station contained a stuffed penguin, which was also used as a “zeroed-gravity” indicator.
I support any endeavors to excite children about the space program. Soon enough we will see what else the Artemis program might have in store for children as well as the kids at heart.
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